(The following story by John D. Boyd appeared on The Journal of Commerce website on December 2, 2009.)
The Department of Transportation’s infrastructure project spending under the stimulus law reached $6.3 billion through Nov. 20, up from $5.9 billion a week earlier.
The latest report on the Obama administration’s Recovery.gov Web site said DOT had authorized $31.6 billion to be spent as of that date, up marginally from $31.1 billion as of Nov. 13.
DOT reimburses states when bills come in for projects covered by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Most of DOT’s spending has been for bridge and highway repairs, or new road and bridge infrastructure that could be rapidly completed, though some approved projects will take years to complete.
Other DOT spending has gone to transit operations and airport needs. More DOT grants this winter will go to freight and passenger rail systems to increase the use of intercity passenger trains and launch some high-speed corridors.
The latest spending level is up from $5.3 billion as of Oct. 30, and $5.6 billion through Nov. 6. That weekly pace of about $300 million in new disbursements increased to about $400 million in the week ending Nov. 20.
DOT’s Federal Highway Administration administers most of the department’s stimulus spending, and said it has already approved construction projects totaling 79 percent of its ARRA budget. Through Nov. 27, FHWA separately said it has paid out about $4.5 billion.