The U.S. DOT is furloughing nearly 2,000 employees without pay Monday, March 1, and temporarily shutting down highway reimbursements to states worth hundreds of millions of dollars, national anti-drunk driving efforts and multi-million dollar construction projects across the country.
The action comes as a result of Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning’s decision to block key legislation that would have extended several critical priorities for middle class families. That legislation covered tax credits for COBRA health coverage, unemployment insurance for 400,000 people, as well as the short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund.
“As American families are struggling in tough economic times, I am keenly disappointed that political games are putting a stop to important construction projects around the country,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This means that construction workers will be sent home from job sites because federal inspectors must be furloughed.”
Because of the shutdown, federal inspectors will be removed from critical construction projects, forcing work to come to a halt on federal lands. Projects span the country, including the $36 million replacement of the Humpback Bridge on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia, $15 million in bridge construction and stream rehabilitation in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, and the $8 million resurfacing of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi.
At the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the furloughs will disrupt safety programs that operate in partnership with the states and advocacy groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The programs are designed to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities totaling 37,000 a year in areas including distracted driving, child passenger safety and motorcycle safety. Activities affected include national media and enforcement campaigns such as “Click It or Ticket,” and “Drunk Driving: Over the Limit. Under Arrest.”

Federal Lands Road Construction Affected By Furlough:

Alaska
Tongass National Forest road clean up
$1,100,000

Arkansas
East Fly Gap and Gunner Pool Roads landslides restoration
$923,000

California
Golden Gate National Recreation Area road construction
$8,700,000

District of Columbia
9th Street Bridge replacement
$50,000,000

Idaho
Salmon River Road Nez Perce National Forest construction
$20,133,000

Little Salmon River Bridge Nez Perce National Forest intersection
$3,800,000

Illinois
McRraven Road reconstruction
$1,100,000

Maryland
Falls Park entrance road construction
$3,100,000

Mississippi
Natchez Trace Parkway resurfacing
$8,100,000

Natchez Trace Parkway trail construction (Ridgeland County)
$5,600,000

Mississippi
Vicksburg National Military Park road rehabilitation and resurfacing
$5,000,000

New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns National Monument roadway rehabilitation $9,000,000

North Carolina
Newfound Gap road rehabilitation
$9,900,000

Blue Ridge Parkway reconstruction and resurfacing
$6,000,000

Goshen Creek Bridge replacement
$3,000,000

Ohio
Fitzwater Road bridges replacement
$4,400,000

Oregon
Beaver Creek Road Ochoco National Forest
$6,200,000

South Carolina
Ft. Sumter Historic Site entrance road and parking area rehabilitation
$262,000

Tennessee
Cades Cove Loop Road rehabilitation
$6,700,000

Tennessee
Shilo National Park tour roads and parking area rehabilitation
$3,000,000

Tennessee
Catossa Wildlife Management Area bridge replacement
$1,000,000

Utah
Bear River Access Road
$13,800,000

Virginia/D.C.
George Washington Parkway Humpback Bridge replacement
$36,000,000

Virginia
Blue Ridge Parkway reconstruction and resurfacing
$12,000,000

Petersburg Park tour road relocation
$1,500,000

Puerto Rico
Vieques National Wildlife Refuge road and bridge reconstruction
$6,000,000

U.S. Virgin Islands
Christiansted Bypass construction
$14,000,000

Centerline Road reconstruction
$9,000,000

St. John roundabout construction
$7,200,000

Long Bay Road reconstruction
$5,500,000

North Shore Road reconstruction
$448,000