The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) crossed the $20 billion mark in approved obligations for highway, road and bridge projects this week. Of the $26.6 billion available for federal highway and bridge projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, more than 75% has now been obligated.

“Even though winter is right around the corner, highway and bridge projects are still getting under way, creating thousands of jobs and saving thousands more,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The Recovery Act is helping repair America’s roads and bridges while putting people back to work.”

The $36 million replacement of the I-25/Alameda Bridge in Denver pushed the FHWA past the milestone. The project’s approval capped one of the busiest months of highway spending, with nearly $760 million approved.

Other substantial progress made recently includes the following.

In August, construction began on the $26.2 million I-279/Fort Duquesne Bridge preservation project in Pittsburgh, designed to improve the safety of the bridge, which serves an estimated 81,000 drivers each day.

In September, work got under way in San Bernardino, Calif., on a massive billion-dollar project, using $128 million in ARRA funds for additional lanes on I-215 to reduce traffic congestion that had been crippling the local economy.

Also in September, work began on the 3-mile extension of Minneapolis’ Trunk Highway 610 to I-94. When completed, this project will reduce traffic congestion and improve area residents’ quality of life with sound walls and a pedestrian bridge.

Last month in Nelsonville, Ohio, construction started on the 8.5-mile, four-lane highway to divert interstate traffic from local streets. The project is using $138 million in ARRA funds and is the largest Recovery Act project under way in Ohio to date.

“By addressing many long-overdue repairs to America’s roads and bridges,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, “projects like these are improving the economy and local quality of life while strengthening the nation’s infrastructure.”

To date, nearly 8,500 highway projects have been approved and nearly 5,000 are under way.