Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., announced that Ranson is the recipient of a generous $5,000,000 Department of Transportation grant that will be used to expand the north-south Fairfax Boulevard by 1000 feet to connect the communities of Ranson and Charles Town to new growth areas at the north end of Ranson.

“This is huge news for West Virginia.  I am thrilled to see such a large grant come to the Mountain State.  With these funds, the city will now be able to build a critical access road between Ranson and Charles Town.  This means more economic opportunity, economic growth and more jobs,” stated Capito. 

“We’re very pleased to see this grant come through.  We’d like to thank Shelley for her support.  These funds will greatly assist Ranson in their redevelopment efforts and help grow the economy  here in Jefferson County,” stated John Reisenweber, Executive Director of Jefferson County Development Authority. 

Program Background

The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER Discretionary Grant program, provides a unique opportunity for the U.S. Department of Transportation to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve critical national objectives. Congress dedicated $1.5 billion for TIGER I, $600 million for TIGER II, and $526.944 million for the FY 2011 round of TIGER Grants to fund projects that have a significant impact on the Nation, a region or a metropolitan area. TIGER's highly competitive process, galvanized by tremendous applicant interest, allowed DOT to fund 51 innovative capital projects in TIGER I, and an additional 42 capital projects in TIGER II. TIGER II also featured a new Planning Grant category and 33 planning projects were also funded through TIGER II. In the FY 2011 round of TIGER Grants, DOT awarded 46 capital projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico. Each project is multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional or otherwise challenging to fund through existing programs. The TIGER program enables DOT to use a rigorous process to select projects with exceptional benefits, explore ways to deliver projects faster and save on construction costs, and make investments in our Nation's infrastructure that make communities more livable and sustainable. "These are innovative, 21st century projects that will change the U.S. transportation landscape by strengthening the economy and creating jobs, reducing gridlock and providing safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation choices," said Secretary LaHood. "Many of these projects could not have been funded without this program."