President Obama's signature approves an extension of the surface transportation act (SAFETEA-LU) that will bring federal transportation funding levels back to $42 billion through Dec. 31, 2010. This corrects the shortfall of $12 billion nationally or $243 million to Missouri in federal funding for the remainder of the year, allowing the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to proceed with bid openings for projects that had been postponed due to funding uncertainties.
More than $130 million worth of road and bridge projects were delayed after MoDOT canceled bid openings for February and March. Action from President Obama and Congress will allow these projects to be bid on and completed. This news from Washington brings a new schedule for MoDOT contractors and projects:
April 9, 2010, Bid Opening: Notice of Bid Opening is March 19, 2010.
April 30, 2010, Bid Opening: Notice of Bid Opening on March 28, 2010.
May 14, 2010, Bid Opening: Notice of Bid Opening on April 8, 2010.
May 28, 2010, Bid Opening: Notice of Bid Opening on April 22, 2010.
Despite this short-term fix to federal transportation funding levels, a longer-term federal transportation funding bill still needs to be passed by the end of 2010. MoDOT will continue to maximize the transportation funding coming in from the federal government, but without a significant funding increase from Congress, the department will focus on maintaining existing roads.
