The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today released “Putting People to Work,” a report on Rhode Island’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funded projects. The release of the document coincides with the one-year anniversary, February 17, 2009, of the signing of the Act.
“This report highlights the success of the ARRA program in Rhode Island and how it has put people to work,” said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis. “By the end of 2009, $9.4 million in wages had been earned by 1,929 people who have benefited directly from ARRA.”
RIDOT initially designated 54 ARRA projects worth $137 million. Thanks to low bids for some of these projects, the Department was able to add an additional eight ARRA projects to its program. As of February 16, 2010, 58 projects have been authorized for funding, and 44 are under construction. Eighty-one percent of these contracts were awarded to Rhode Island companies. By the March 1, 2010 deadline, all funds will be authorized.
The ARRA projects featured in the report are varied and include: bridge preventative maintenance and bridge rehabilitation, drainage improvements, guardrail repairs, highway striping, signage improvements, traffic signal improvements, and resurfacing and pavement management. To view RIDOT’s report, log onto http://www.dot.state.ri.us/.
The Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) recently chose Rhode Island as one of the prime examples of ARRA success by highlighting it and three other states in its report entitled, “Projects and Paychecks: a One Year Report on State Transportation Success under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” To view AASHTO’s report, log onto http://recovery.transportation.org/.
Contact Heidi Cote at (401) 222-1362 x. 4009.