Latest ARRA Report Shows 94% of Funds Utilized

Press Release

Highway, transit, and wastewater formula projects totaling $35.6 billion funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are either out to bid, under contract, under way, or completed, according to the latest report from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The figure accounts for 94 percent of the $38 billion available under the Recovery Act for these formula programs, and covers 20,132 projects. The totals are based on data received as of October 31, 2010.

"Despite what its critics are saying, the Recovery Act has indeed worked," said Rep. James L. Oberstar (Minn.), Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. "We've invested in America and in our people. I hope the next Congress builds on this success and makes a serious commitment to rebuild our national infrastructure and put people to work."

Of the total above, 19,704 projects, totaling $34.9 billion, are under contract, and work has begun on 19,302 projects totaling $34.8 billion. Within this total, work has been completed on 10,549 projects totaling $9.2 billion, or 24 percent.

Direct job creation from these projects has resulted in payroll expenditures of $4.5 billion. The Committee calculates that $764 million in unemployment checks have been avoided as a result of this job creation. Furthermore, these jobs have generated nearly $919 million in Federal taxes.

The Committee reports that 47 states have started construction on 100 percent of their Recovery Act wastewater projects, and 44 states have begun work on at least 90 percent of their Recovery Act highway projects.

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