Southeast DOTs Move Ahead on $3.5 Billion in Stimulus Funds

By Scott Judy

The four-state region of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina received more than $3.5 billion in stimulus funds aimed at highways and other infrastructure work, and state transportation departments are moving rapidly to deliver on these projects.

Unfortunately, in many instances, the funding doesn’t boost overall activity from recent work levels, but it is keeping this market from declining too significantly.

For example, in North Carolina, the value of road lettings had decreased to just 25% of last year’s level, but thanks to the stimulus, “We’re beginning to be a bit more optimistic,” says Berry Jenkins, North Carolina Heavy-Highway Division director for Carolinas Associated General Contractors in Raleigh.

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The state received $838 million in transportation stimulus funds, with $735 million targeted for highways and bridges. Another $103 million is intended for aviation, bicycle and pedestrian, ferry, public transportation and rail projects.

The North Carolina Dept. of Transportation announced that approximately 70 highway and bridge projects, funded with $466 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, would be let by June.

Florida will be the biggest recipient of infrastructure stimulus dollars in the Southeast. Here, too, the transportation department is starting to feel the pinch from significantly declining revenue streams and the state’s overall budget woes, says Kevin Thiebault, assistant secretary for engineering and operations.

The Florida Dept. of Transportation will receive roughly $1.4 billion in stimulus funding. An estimated $1.35 billion will go to highway and bridge construction. Urban transit systems will receive $290 million in funding, while rural transit systems will get about $20 million. An additional $5.4 million is directed to fixed-guideway systems. The stimulus also funds $50 million in airport improvements.

The department is using seven factors to prioritize its projects. These include: previous deferral by the state; projects tied to concurrency where development is being held up; potential to generate revenues; geographical balance; potential for congestion relief; located in economically distressed areas; and can be completed within three years.

(Photo courtesy Florida Dept. of Transportation)

The Georgia Dept. of Transportation is receiving roughly $932 million in stimulus funds. The State Transportation Board determined that up to 50% of the money would be used for highway maintenance, including resurfacing and interstate rehabilitation. As much as 26% can be used for congestion relief or new capacity projects, while 10% is allocated to bridge replacement and rehabilitation, 10% for safety projects and 4% for enhancements.

In March, the state approved $512 million worth of projects utilizing stimulus dollars. GDOT expects to let these projects starting in April and have all of them awarded by June.

South Carolina received $463 million in stimulus funding for transportation projects. The state transportation department has allocated $150 million of that total for local projects. Of that amount, $106 million will be divided equally among the state’s six congressional districts, giving each roughly $17.75 million.

To date, the state has approved nearly $300 million in funding overall. That includes: highway resurfacing and rehabilitation – $150 million; interstate highway maintenance – $74 million; bridge replacements – $56 million; and safety/traffic improvements – $19 million.