The Recovery Act Blog

Rucker Boulevard to be upgraded through funding "Though an area highway upgrade has fallen to the wayside after encountering planning difficulties, Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell said a major city thoroughfare will soon be upgraded thanks to federal stimulus money.  Boswell and the Enterprise City Council unanimously agreed to enter into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to repave Rucker Boulevard… During the repaving of Rucker Boulevard, a much sought-after traffic signal will also be installed at the intersection of Freedom Drive and Rucker Boulevard.  The project, which will repave Rucker Boulevard from Reynolds Street to the Enterprise/Fort Rucker Gate, is expected to be awarded in August… City officials began lobbying for the resurfacing of Rucker Boulevard in its entirety more than two years ago and lobbying efforts were successful last year when ALDOT agreed to begin the project. The project was unfortunately cut short, however, when state funding ran low and left only one-third of Rucker Boulevard resurfaced… ‘We have had the traffic light actually warranted for quite some time, but we had to wait until there was money allocated for it,’ Boswell explained…The traffic signal, Boswell said, is another step the city is taking to make motorists safe."

 

HECO to get $750,000 in wind power stimulus funds "Hawaiian Electric Co. will receive $750,000 in federal stimulus money to develop wind power initiatives, U.S. Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye announced yesterday. The grant, from the U.S. Department of Energy, will support HECO's Hawaii Utility Integration Initiatives. ‘Grants like this will help Hawai'i as we continue to strive for energy independence through the creation of renewable power solutions that utilize our unique access to wind, water, solar and other sustainable resources,’ the senators said in a statement. Wind farm projects are operating on Maui and the Big Island. Other projects are being planned for Kahuku, Maui and Lana'i."

Salina airport project putting federal stimulus dollars to work "Construction is under way at the Salina airport on improvements funded partly with federal stimulus money. The work includes redeveloping the north ramp, which is part of the Salina Airport Authority's plan to provide additional services to a variety of aviation customers. Funds exceeding $830,000 were awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration. Construction will leave the airport with more than 1 million square feet of hangar, shop, office and classroom space for aviation businesses and their customers. Airport Authority executive director Tim Rogers says expects the construction project to create at least 850 aviation and aerospace jobs with an annual payroll of more than $21 million."

Louisiana gets $43M in stimulus money from EPA "The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality says the state has received $43 million to work on overdue wastewater upgrades and to fund ‘green projects.’ The money was awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency and comes through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Congress passed this year to stimulate the U.S. economy. DEQ said Wednesday that the money will be spent in 55 cities and towns in 42 parishes."

State gets $34.5M in stimulus water grants "Approximately $34.5 million is coming to New Mexico for water projects under the federal stimulus plan.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is awarding $15 million to the New Mexico Environment Department for the state’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. Another $19.5 million will go to the New Mexico Finance Authority for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program.  Both programs provide low-interest loans for water projects. The clean water program funds quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management.  The drinking water program helps finance infrastructure improvements in drinking water systems. It emphasizes small and disadvantaged communities and programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water. About $4 billion will be awarded for wastewater infrastructure projects nationwide under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and about $2 billion will be awarded for drinking water infrastructure projects. About 20 percent of the drinking water funds are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects."

Stimulus Project Underway in Harrison County "Stimulus dollars are already helping to fill in gaps in ODOT project funding. A project just under way on U.S. Route 22 in Harrison County will remove three bridges and not replace them. The area will instead be filled in with dirt and paved, reducing maintenance and inspection costs… Removing the bridges will save ODOT about $7 million over the next 35 years, plus an additional $5,000 a year in inspection and maintenance costs. This is one of the first stimulus projects in the state to break ground, and the effects can be felt in more ways than one. In total it is estimated that almost 3,000 hours will be spent on the job by union carpenters, laborers and operators."

"The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency received $90,000 to train people for transportation-related careers, officials announced Thursday. The federal stimulus money is part of a $6.7 million U.S. Department of Transportation award to fund similar apprenticeship programs in 14 states."
 

"Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says Cobb and Gwinnett counties will receive a total of $18.5 million in federal stimulus money for mass transit. LaHood announced Thursday that Cobb Community Transit will receive $9.1 million for rehabilitation, renovation and construction of a maintenance facility to expand the transit system's multi-use transit facility. Funds will also be used for preventive maintenance, engineering and design, and management of paratransit services."
 

"The Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District will receive $3.3 million in federal stimulus funds for replacing some of its bus fleet and for transit improvements at the Quad-City International Airport. The grant, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will fund the purchase of eight 40-foot replacement buses for Metro and the installation of a passenger shelter bus stop at the airport in Moline."
 

"Federal stimulus money will finance a job-training program for people in northeast Kansas who are interested in building highways. The educational effort will be financed with $200,402 from the federal government, as part of the $6.7 million in financing going to 14 states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."
 

"More than $43 million in federal stimulus money will flow into the state for commuter rail improvements, including projects to improve service on the Haverhill and Fitchburg commuter lines, the governor's office said today. "We are committed to improving the quality and reliability of commuter rail service throughout the Commonwealth," Governor Deval Patrick said in a statement. "These recovery investments will help create jobs, improve our infrastructure and strengthen our long-term economy.""
 

"The state will receive millions of federal stimulus dollars to boost public transit, including more than $10 million to improve service on the Fitchburg line, state and federal officials announced yesterday.  Massachusetts will get more than $64 million for public transit, of which more than $43 million will be used to improve commuter rail, according to a statement released yesterday from Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s office. That includes $10.2 million for interlocking work on the Fitchburg line, which should improve reliability and on-time performance. The work will prepare the Fitchburg line for a double-tracking project, which also will be funded by stimulus dollars."
 

"Officials say federal stimulus funds will provide more than $60 million to transit improvements in Minnesota. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in Washington Thursday that the money includes about $50 million for the Metropolitan Council, Minneapolis-St. Paul Region, to pay for hybrid electric buses, biodiesel capable buses and other vehicles."
 

"U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today that Minnesota will receive $64.3 million for transit improvements. The following agencies will receive Federal Recovery Act funds: The Metropolitan Council will receive $51.3 million to replace 117 buses, including 30 hybrid buses, and purchase three new buses.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Transit will receive $7.4 million to replace 84 buses and five intercity motor coaches."
 

"Some $1.2 million in federal Recovery Act dollars will go to the Great Falls Transit District to buy four 29-foot low-floor buses and two vans. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the grant Thursday. "By quickly moving federal dollars to the cities and towns across the country, we are putting people back to work now and ensuring that our nation will have reliable and efficient transit systems for generations to come," LaHood said in a news release."
 

"U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $13.4 million in stimulus funding for several small Pennsylvania transit agencies Thursday, including $4.1 million for Western Pennsylvania counties. Fayette County will get $923,540 toward the engineering, design and construction of a transit center, park and ride, and vehicle storage facility; Cambria County will get $1.3 million to renovate its transit center in Johnstown and purchase a new hybrid bus; and the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority will get $1.9 million to buy six new buses."
 

"Articulated buses designed to give riders an experience that resembles train service will be used on East Lancaster Avenue beginning next year, after $20 million in federal stimulus funding was awarded Thursday to the Fort Worth Transportation Authority. The T wasn’t the only winner. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $159.6 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for 18 Texas projects, including $6 million for buses in Arlington, Cleburne, Parker County and other area jurisdictions that run specialty services, such as mobility programs for seniors."
 

"Two Virginia cities are getting $1.5 million in federal stimulus funds for transit upgrades.  Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that Danville and Williamsburg are getting the money."