Bridges of Arkansas get stimulus funding

Additional Interim Update‏
From: LINDSLEY SMITH (lindsleysmith@msn.com)
Sent: Mon 8/10/09 9:21 PM
To:
Federal stimulus money will allow several more bridges in Arkansas to be replaced or significantly improved, including seven that have been described as functionally obsolete or structurally deficient, though not dangerous.
So far, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has identified 14 more bridge projects that will receive federal stimulus money. That’s in addition to 43 other bridge contracts that had been let by the department through July, also using federal stimulus money to rebuild infrastructure and to save or create jobs.
Federal stimulus money also has been flowing to numerous school districts in the state for various projects. All told, the state is to receive about $3 billion in federal stimulus over the next year and a half.
Many contractors in the state have stated in media reports that they would have had to lay off hundreds of employees without the federally aided projects along Arkansas roads and on Arkansas bridges.
The 14 new projects are:
· The state Highway 9 bridge over Osage Creek in Benton County.
· Four bridges along state Highway 226 in Craighead County.
· Four bridges of I-430 in Little Rock, and two bridges along Pulaski County Road 67 over Leopard Creek.
· A bridge over Fourche Creek on Randolph County Road 48-East.
· A bridge along state Highway 22 over Big Vache Grasse in Sebastian County.
· A bridge on Sharp County Road 38 over Pine Creek.
Overall, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and the Highway Commission have awarded contracts totaling $115 million in federal stimulus money for 62 road and bridge projects. About $19 million of the work has been completed. Contracts haven’t yet been let on 49 projects totaling $304 million.