Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today announced that the City of Wilson will receive a $10 million U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) award through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) VII grant program. This grant is critic al to the revitalization of and economic development in downtown Wilson, North Carolina. This is the first TIGER grant ever received by the City of Wilson.
The grant will help fund upgrades to U.S. Highway 301 and connect education and training facilities with employment centers. Specifically, the project will improve intersections, medians, sidewalks, and walking paths to unite downtown businesses with Wilson Community College and the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf – all while improving pedestrian and traffic safety.
“Creating jobs in the First District is my top priority. This $10 million investment is an important step toward that goal. The grant can transform Wilson’s downtown, boost the economy, and create jobs. This significant award will improve the quality of life for people in Wilson and the region,” said Butterfield. “This project builds on the proven model of encouraging job growth by connecting people with training and employment opportunities. I thank the City of Wilson for its work in securing this grant and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and the USDOT staff for recognizing the critical nature of this project.”
Butterfield has been integral to the City’s efforts to strengthen the economy and create jobs through the work supported by TIGER. Butterfield sent two letters to the USDOT in support of Wilson’s application for the grant. The Congressman also met with Secretary Foxx on several occasions to discuss the positive impacts the project would have on the local economy. Additionally, Butterfield and his staff participated in several meetings and conference calls with city officials and USDOT staff to champion the project.
Butterfield has consistently advocated for infrastructure investment. He supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which created the TIGER grant program. This program has been critical to creating jobs and improving the infrastructure in eastern North Carolina. In recent years, Congressman Butterfield fought to secure TIGER VI grant awards for the Duke Belt Line Trail in Durham, North Carolina, and for the Carolinian and Piedmont rail lines between Raleigh and Charlotte. Butterfield also helped secure $10 million in the previous round of TIGER grants for the City of Goldsboro to complete the city’s Center Streetscape and Union Station projects.
“Investments in transportation and infrastructure are not only vital to our economic recovery today, but will provide the foundation for the economic growth of tomorrow,” Butterfield concluded.