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Stimulus Funds * USA - Only Spent One Percent of Transportation ones
Washington,DC,USA -Reuters, by Lisa Lambert -17 June 2009: -- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that only about 1 percent of the $15 billion transportation stimulus money has been spent so far, but the industry says this is not an indication of a slowdown... Associated General Contractors of America spokesman, Brian Turmail says, "The federal funds don't go out until, literally, the states hand in the receipts for the project at the time it's done, or at least an identified phase of the project is done. It's a better measure of projects completed, or phases of projects completed ... than of work under way currently."... Meanwhile, President Obama has promised to speed up the flow of money from the stimulus to state governments, although making this happen will depend largely on the states... (Photo from brownstoner: Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards Project, without stimulus funds)
* Federal Rules Snarl Stimulus Bids
Denver,CO,USA -The Denver Post, by Miles Moffeit -21 June 2009: -- Federal rules are complicating some states' efforts to spend stimulus money on infrastructure efforts by causing them to speed up their award processes so they can come in under stimulus deadlines... One example is a repaving project on U.S. 24 and U.S. 285 near Buena Vista, Colo., which increased nearly 50 percent in cost after low bidder Asphalt Paving Co. was awarded the project. The cost savings from Asphalt Paving's low-price quote was used by state highway engineers to pay the company to pave an additional four miles without putting it out to bid, leading critics to charge that it is not in line with the spirit of competitive bidding. State Department of Transportation officials had been seeking to put as much work as possible up for competitive bid in recent years in an effort to drive down costs, but this and other projects show how this sort of extended management process can clash with the federal stimulus rules requiring fast job creation... (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/Denver Post - Colorado Department of Transportation workers began work on resurfacing West Belleview Avenue soon after federal stimulus funds were available)Labels: governments stimulus funds
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