President Obama visits Virginia’s largest ARRA-funded highway project

President Barack Obama joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at the site of the Fairfax County Parkway Extension in Virginia to announce more than 8,000 highway projects have been funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) since its passage in February.

“What makes these kinds of projects so important isn’t just that we’re creating so many jobs. It’s that we’re putting Americans to work doing the work that America needs done. We are rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges and waterways,” said President Obama. “We are strengthening our nation’s infrastructure in ways that will leave lasting benefits in our communities, making them stronger, making them safer and making them better places to live.”

“We have come a long way in a very short time,” said Secretary LaHood. “Projects like this one are not only improving safety and convenience for motorists, they are also helping to put the economy back on track by creating tens of thousands of jobs each month.”

Of the nearly $27 billion available for highway projects through the Recovery Act, $19.5 billion has been obligated for 8,050 projects nationwide. As of Oct. 9, 2009, 4,760 highway projects were under construction.

The Fairfax County Parkway Extension project is adding much needed capacity to a route that, by 2011, will serve nearly 66,900 daily drivers—an increase of nearly 10% over current levels. At an estimated $140 million, it is Virginia’s largest ARRA-funded project.

The project’s first two phases—valued at $80 million—began construction last year, supporting 114 workers. Phase 4, which will begin construction this week, received $22.8 million in Recovery Act funding and will support an estimated 57 workers. Phase 3, anticipated to begin construction later this year, is expected to rely on $37.1 million in recovery dollars and will support an estimated 50 workers.