AASHTO and Washington State represented at jobs summit.
Press Release Summary:
At President Obama's forum on jobs and economic development, Paula Hammond, secretary of transportation for Washington state and chairperson of AASHTO's Climate Change Steering Committee, told President Obama that transportation investments are creating jobs and helping economy recover. Hammond presented results of survey by AASHTO that lists 9,500 ready-to-go transportation projects worth more than $69 billion that, if funded, can be used to create thousands of jobs.
Original Press Release:
AASHTO, Washington State Represented at President's Jobs Summit
(Washington, D.C.)--Paula Hammond, secretary of transportation for Washington state and chairperson of AASHTO's Climate Change Steering Committee, told President Barack Obama that transportation investments are creating jobs and helping the economy recovery.
At President Obama's forum on jobs and economic development yesterday, Hammond said that state Departments of Transportation are working hard to deliver on the economic recovery act. "We know that investments in transportation not only provide immediate jobs for the economy, but also provide longer-term benefits by preserving roads, shoring up our bridges, repairing or replacing 1950s-era concrete interstates, and making drivers safer," Hammond said.
Sitting across from the president during a breakout session titled "Creating Jobs through the Rebuilding of America's Infrastructure," Hammond presented with the results of a new survey by AASHTO that lists 9,500 "ready-to-go" highway, bridge, transit, and port, rail, and aviation projects worth more than $69 billion that, if funded, can be used to create thousands of jobs across the country. All 50 states and the District of Columbia reported 7,400 in "ready-to-go" highway projects valued at more than $47 billion, and 2,100 "ready-to-go" transit, rail, port, aviation, and intermodal projects valued at more than $22 billion.
Hammond said, "The state of Washington is putting the money and jobs where they are needed most. Approximately $336 million, or 70 percent, of our Recovery Act highway funding will be spent in 28 counties federally defined as economically distressed."
Washington state has identified as many as 148 state and local highway projects worth nearly $750 million that could be ready to go, if funded. A ready-to-go project is defined as one that can move through the federal approval process within 120 days of enactment of authorizing legislation, thus enabling the state to proceed toward bidding and construction.
AASHTO has also presented the survey to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN). The report can be found at downloads.transportation.org/Ready-to-Go.pdf.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the "Voice of Transportation" representing State Departments of Transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation.
