During August, $750 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds were obligated for highway construction projects, while payments to contractors for construction work performed continued to grow rapidly, topping at $1.4 billion.
Below are highlights of the seventh report released by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. Download the PDF in the LearnMore! box for a color-coded map of the U.S. showing each state’s activity:
- Illinois continued to lead in total payments to contractors at just over $200 million, while Maine continued to lead in terms of the largest percentage of its total ARRA funds paid to contractors at just under 40%;
- According to the Federal Highway Administration, as of August there were 3,351 ARRA-financed projects under construction in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and federal lands;
- Heading into the fourth quarter of 2009, $9.74 billion have been obligated for highway projects that are under construction, more than one-third of ARRA highway funds;
- Eighteen states have obligated $336.4 million of ARRA highway funds for nonhighway investments. This includes $288 million that has been flexed to transit, including $175 million by the state of New York;
- When funds flexed to transit and other modes are included, a total of $18.4 billion of ARRA funds (68.5% of total) had been obligated through August.
