Iowa leads on road stimulus projects

Iowa has let projects using about three-quarters of the $348 million the state has received in federal stimulus funds for state, city and county roads, pumping most of that money into repair and maintenance of the Iowa road system.

In doing so, the state beat a deadline set by the Obama administration requiring states to obligate at least 50 percent of their highway funds by June 29. Iowa met that target by March 11, quicker than 47 states.

In the first 120 days since the stimulus finds have been available, the Iowa Department of Transportation has let contracts on more than $262 million in projects. Through June, DOT has let projects totaling $196.5 million, or 86 percent of the $228.2 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act highway funds targeted to the state's primary road system. It also has let project totaling $65.8 million, or 55 percent of the $120 million targeted to city streets and county roads.

The DOT had its first bid letting using stimulus funds Feb. 17, the day President Barack Obama signed the recovery act into law. Federal funds were official available to the state March 3. So far, $19 billion has been obligated to more than 5,300 highway and other transportation projects.

The state's final letting on highway projects will be in July.

Iowa's use of the federal dollars won praise from Smart Growth America. Noting there is an "embarrassingly large backlog of road and ridge repairs," the group commended Iowa and other states for spending 90 percent or more of their federal stimulus money on repairs rather than new roads. Ten states and the District of Columbia put 100 percent of their money towards road maintenance. Iowa, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma all spent at least 90 percent of their stimulus road budget on repairs.

Iowa spent its remaining 10 percent on public transportation and non-motorized projects.

In Iowa, according to Smart Growth America, 59 percent of the roads are not in "good" condition, which costs driver an additional $383 a year, and 241 bridges were structurally deficient.

For a list of the 93 city and county contracts and 37 state highway projects let through June 16, visit: http://www.iowadot.gov/recovery/projectlists.htm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern Iowa projects funded with stimulus dollars

County

Project

Stimulus funds

Other Funds

Contractor

Tama

Resurface E-69 from Ia 146 east 8 miles to US 63 and T-47 from E-69 north 2 miles

$1,861,418 million 

$939,900

Manatt's, Brooklyn, Iowa

Iowa

Resurface F67, 325th St from V52 east & south to North English city limits

$1,507,292

$773,396

Pelling, North Liberty

Linn

Concrete overlay, W25, Central City Rd to 2.6 milis north

$896,785

$896,785

Concrete Foundations, Inc., Waterloo

Winneshiek

Concrete overlay, V68, US 18 to Winneshiek County line

$2,281,848

$1,920,000

Concrete Foundations, Inc., Waterloo

Winneshiek

Concrete overlay, V68, Hwy 24 to Fayette County line

$706,764

$664,000

Concrete Foundations, Inc., Waterloo

Buchanan

Concrete overlay, D22 from Independence to Jesup

$1,996,276

$1,730,000

Flynn Co., Inc, Dubuque

Delaware

Asphalt resurfacing, D47, Pheasant Rd. west to Pheasant Rd. East

$773,157

$525,953

Mathy Construction, dba River City Paving, Dubuque