Southeast Transportation Leaders tout recovery spending.
Press Release Summary:
At a news conference, Leaders of the Southeastern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO) conveyed progress being made to create and sustain jobs using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. All 50 state departments of transportation and the District of Columbia met a June 30th deadline to assign 50% of their ARRA funds to specific highway projects. SASHTO's 12 member states are slated to receive over $7 billion in ARRA funding for highways/bridges.
Original Press Release:
Southeastern State Transportation Leaders Tout Recovery Spending
Millions in ARRA Funds Spent on Payroll!
(Biloxi, MS) - Leaders of the Southeastern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO) held a news conference today to showcase the progress being made to create and sustain jobs using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
Larry L. "Butch" Brown, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) and SASHTO President, said "The proof is in the numbers. As of July, Mississippi DOT has spent nearly $2 million dollars on payroll. That money is going straight into the pockets of hundreds of construction workers so they can make mortgage payments, buy groceries, and pay for back to school supplies and clothing."
All 50 state departments of transportation and the District of Columbia met a June 30th deadline to assign 50 percent of their ARRA funds to a specific highway projects. SASHTO's 12 member states are slated to receive over $7 billion in ARRA funding for highways and bridges.
Arkansas' share is $351 million. As of this week, Arkansas state officials say $162 million has been awarded to 69 projects, of which more than a third are already completed. "We're putting people to work in every corner of our state," said Dan Flowers, executive director of Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. "The majority of our projects are being built in 'economically depressed areas' which benefits those looking for work."
Paul A. Mattox, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation said, "between April and July of this year, my department had 81 projects worth $148 million under contract." Mattox agreed that one sure way to measure ARRA's success is to look at payroll figures. "Contractors in West Virginia have spent $1.4 million dollars in payroll between April and July of this year and I know those dollars are making a world of difference to people in our state."
The state DOT leaders agreed that the successful implementation of economic stimulus money should be reassuring to the America people. "States are delivering projects on time and many cases under budget," said John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). "Now it's up to Congress to keep the momentum going by passing a new six-year highway and transit authorization bill."
Stimulus Projects - Putting Money Directly Into the Economy
Examples of payroll expended on stimulus projects:
Mississippi: $1.92 million in total payroll as of July 2009
West Virginia: $1.4 million in total payroll as of July 2009
Tennessee: $5.3 million in total payroll as of July 2009
North Carolina: $2.98 million in total payroll as of July 2009
Kentucky: $1.78 million in total payroll as of July 2009
$13.38 million payroll expended through July 2009 from five SASHTO states
As of August 28, according to the Federal Highway Administration:
3,351 transportation projects under construction today across America
$9.74 billion under contract
7,701 projects are authorized for bidding (projects include FHWA, FAA, FTA, FRA), valued at $25 billion
6,902 highways projects are authorized, valued at $18 billion of the $26.8 billion for highway projects
For more information go to: Recovery.gov or www.fhwa.dot.gov.
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.
