Contracts Awarded for 17 Additional North Carolina Highway Projects Funded Through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Projects will create and sustain thousands of jobs

5/29/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today announced that contracts have been awarded for 17 additional highway projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The contracts total $102.8 million and were awarded by Transportation Secretary Gene Conti to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law. A list of the projects is attached.

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“These projects will help create and sustain thousands of jobs and provide needed economic development in counties throughout North Carolina,” said Perdue. “They will improve critical routes to help better connect North Carolinians around the state.”

The projects are in Alamance, Alexander, Anson, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Cherokee, Cleveland, Cumberland, Durham, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Mecklenburg, Nash, Rockingham, Surry, Union, Wake and Yadkin counties. Two resurfacing projects, one on U.S. 64 in Nash/Edgecombe counties and one on I-440 in Wake County, will be awarded if the low bidder demonstrates that it has met “good faith effort” requirements in attempting to reach the disadvantaged business enterprise goals set forth in the contracts.

The bids received on all 19 economic recovery projects came in nearly 25 percent, about $36.7 million, below NCDOT estimates. Work on all contracts will start in late June or early July (see attached list for respective start dates).

According to the Federal Highway Administration, every $1 million spent on transportation creates 30 jobs, and according to the construction industry, every dollar invested in transportation generates $6 in economic impact.

Based on these figures, the overall projects announced to date are expected to help create and sustain more than 20,000 jobs and generate more than $4 billion in economic development.

In addition to helping create jobs, the 17 projects awarded will complete needed infrastructure improvements. Fifteen of the projects entail resurfacing or rehabilitation of major routes across the state. One project will complete grading work for a stretch of the Fayetteville Outer Loop, and one is for a bridge replacement.

NCDOT received a total of $838 million through the ARRA, including $735 million for highway and bridge projects. To date, NCDOT has allocated more than 90 percent of the highway and bridge money received to projects across the state.

Gov. Perdue and Secretary Conti also are working with Sen. Kay Hagan, Rep. Mel Watt and the rest of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation to pursue discretionary grant money included in the ARRA to use for the $300 million replacement of the Yadkin River Bridge on I-85 in Davidson and Rowan counties.

Along with awarding these economic recovery projects, Secretary Conti awarded seven contracts for other projects located in Cleveland, Craven, Gaston, Henderson, Jones, Moore, Onslow and Surry counties. A list of these projects also is attached. Two bridge replacement projects in Henderson and Wake counties, will be awarded if the low bidder demonstrates that it has met “good faith effort” requirements in attempting to reach the disadvantaged business enterprise goals set forth in the contracts.

For more information about recovery funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other NCDOT projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.

Source: North Carolina Governor