$12M grant to pay for highway overpasses in Joplin - KOAM TV 7

$12M grant to pay for highway overpasses in Joplin

A $12 million TIGER grant is announced Tuesday in Joplin.  U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood and Joplin Mayor Melodee Colbert-Kean were among officials at city hall for the announcement.

The grant will go toward the construction of two highway overpasses above the Kansas City Southern railway line at 15th and 20th streets in Joplin.

City officials say the project will help it's transportation system recover following last year's tornado and also hopes it increases economic activity in those areas.

Lahood says Joplin was among more than 700 applicants for the funds.

"Which goes to show there's a pent up demand in America, in Joplin, in Missouri, for infrastructure to fix up infrastructure and to put friends and neighbors to work," says Lahood.  "That's what these dollars do.  They pull people to work and so we thank the community for hanging in there with us."

Joplin had applied for a TIGER grant before but was rejected.  Lahood credited the mayor with going to Washington and bending his ear.