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Add Maine to the list of states that submitted Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant applications to the U.S. Department of Transportation last week. The department expects to announce award recipients in early 2010.

The Maine DOT submitted five applications seeking a total of $166.2 million. Three of the applications request TIGER dollars for rail projects, including:
• $57.7 million to rehabilitate a rail line from Calais to Perry to Class II (25 mph operations) standards, and construct a truck-to-rail transload and storage facility in Perry;
• $28.5 million to rehabilitate a portion of a 51-mile rail corridor connecting Portland to the western mountains to support both freight- and passenger-rail operations; and
• $23 million to purchase and improve 240 miles of the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway Inc.’s track in Penobscot and Aroostook counties.

The Maine DOT also applied for $32 million to complete improvements at the ports of Eastport, Portland and Searsport/Mack Point.