Minnesota gets $677 million in stimulus funds

Construction is underway or completed on $677 million in Minnesota highway, transit, and wastewater projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a.k.a. “the stimulus,” the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure announced on Sept. 30.

The committee released its latest periodic report on the implementation of Recovery Act transportation and infrastructure programs, and the report shows that nationally, a total of $33.9 billion has been invested in 18,365 formula projects now under construction or completed, accounting for 89 percent of the total allocation for such work.

“The transportation and infrastructure investments provided by the Recovery Act have been a tremendous success, Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the Transportation Committee, said in a written statement. “They have helped stem the tide of job losses from the worst economic crisis facing the nation since the Great Depression.This success underscores the immediate need to provide additional funding for infrastructure.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration’s formula, 34.5 direct and indirect jobs are created for each $1 million invested in road and bridge construction, which means the Recovery Act investment in Minnesota’s infrastructure has created over 23,000 jobs since the law was enacted in the spring of 2009.

“Each of those jobs represents a pay check instead of an unemployment check,” said Oberstar. “It helped families make house payments and buy groceries and, when the work is complete, Minnesota will have better roads and bridges to move goods and services more efficiently.”

National Highlights of the Report

Overall:

* 19,328 highway, transit, and wastewater infrastructure projects in all 50 States, five Territories, and the District of Columbia have been put out to bid totaling $35.2 billion (93 percent of the total available formula funds for highway, transit, and wastewater infrastructure projects).

* Fifty states, five territories, and the District of Columbia have signed contracts for 18,876 projects totaling $34.4 billion (91 percent).

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* Work has begun on 18,365 projects in 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia totaling $33.9 billion (89 percent).

* Work has been completed on 8,965 projects totaling $7.1 billion in 50 states, one territory, and the District of Columbia (19 percent).

Transportation:

* Highway and bridge investments will result in:

  • o 35,399 miles of road improvement;
  • o 1,264 bridge improvements; and
  • o demand for approximately 10 million metric tons of cement, resulting in revenues of $950 million for the cement industry.
  • o Transit investments will result in:
  • o 12,234 buses, vehicles, and rail cars purchased or rehabilitated ($2.4 billion);
  • o 4,870 passenger facilities constructed or rehabilitated ($1.5 billion); and
  • o 324 maintenance facilities constructed or rehabilitated ($925 million).
  • o Work is underway on 185 Amtrak projects totaling $1.3 billion (100 percent of their available funds), and Amtrak has made 47 percent of the total number of contract awards to small businesses; Amtrak investments will result in:
  • 1.3 million concrete ties replaced, of which 326,649 are completed;
  • 60 Amfleet cars, 21 Superliners, and 15 locomotives restored to service; and
  • 270 station improvements.
  • Work is underway or completed on 757 aviation projects totaling $1.3 billion (100 percent). Aviation investments will result in:
  • 155 runway improvements at 139 airports that accommodate 11 million annual takeoffs/landings ($483 million);
  • 83 taxiway improvements at 78 airports that accommodate 8.1 million annual takeoffs/landings ($220 million); and
  • 25 projects to modernize air route traffic control centers ($50 million);

Water Infrastructure:

* All 50 states met the requirement that 100 percent of their Clean Water State Revolving Fund projects be under contract by February 17, 2010. As of August 31, 2010, 1,946 projects are under construction totaling $3.8 billion (100 percent of the available funds).

* Clean water investments will construct, upgrade, or maintain publicly owned treatment works, mitigate nonpoint source pollution, and promote estuary management, serving an estimated 64 million people, approximately one-third of the U.S. population currently served by sewers – 629 projects ($1.5 billion).

* Work has begun or is completed on 59 Superfund projects totaling $584 million (100 percent).

* Work has begun or is completed on 165 of 185 planned Brownfield projects.

* The Army Corps of Engineers has committed $4.3 billion for 796 projects (93 percent). Corps investments will result in:

  • 155 lock chambers repaired or improved;
  • 1,132 flood risk management projects to improve dam or levee safety;
  • 1,034 projects to maintain or upgrade recreation areas; and maintain or improve harbors and waterways that serve over 2,400 commercial ports.

Other Infrastructure Projects under the Committee’s Jurisdiction:

* The General Service Administration has awarded contracts and begun work on 536 projects worth $4.6 billion (82 percent); GSA investments will result in:

* 78 roofs installed, including 68 photovoltaic arrays on roofs;

* 140 lighting systems put in place;

* 52 water systems installed; and 222 system tune-ups and recommissionings completed.

* The Economic Development Administration has broken ground on 57 of the 68 planned projects totaling $130 million (88 percent).

* Under the Coast Guard’s Alteration of Bridges program, work has begun on all four planned bridge projects totaling $142 million (100 percent).

* Work is underway or completed on 70 of the 73 planned small shipyard projects totaling $123 million (100 percent).