Remember the Stimulus? That was President Obama and the Democratic House and Senate’s response to the financial meltdown of late 2008. Billions of dollars that were meant to put Americans back to work, working on shovel-ready projects, many of which the president finally admitted weren’t quite that shovel ready. Even when grants were authorized, as in the case of the Atlanta Streetcar, some projects took years to complete, and went over budget.

Actually, the stimulus lives in 2015, in the form of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants, more commonly known as TIGER grants. And today, the federal Transportation Department announced around $500 billion for some 39 projects in 34 states. And none of the discretionary money went to Georgia, although the AJC reports there were numerous requests, including an extension of the aforementioned Atlanta streetcar. Also on the chopping block: a “Smart Corridor” project to make potential bus rapid transit along US 41 in Cobb County possible.

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