ADOT saves $114.5 million on Recovery Act projects
Cost savings make way for additional projects around Arizona
September 25, 2009
PHOENIX – What can $100 million buy you? What about 25,000,000 lattes at four bucks a cup? How about a $2 million home in each of the 50 states? Or what about a professional hockey team?
For the Arizona Department of Transportation, $100 million will go a long way—specifically $114.5 million. That’s the amount of cost savings ADOT has seen so far from its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects—money that will be reinvested in additional stimulus work around the state. It’s a milestone that illustrates another success of a program focused on improving Arizona’s transportation system, while putting people back to work in critical highway construction jobs.
ADOT’s allocation of Recovery Act funds amounts to $350 million. So far, 59 highway and bridge projects are moving forward statewide, with more on the way from the tremendous cost savings. To put it in perspective, one-third of ADOT’s stimulus dollars have resulted in cost savings that will go back into improving our state’s critical transportation network in the most-needed areas. ADOT’s stimulus work is expected to create or sustain an estimated 6,000 jobs.
The savings are the result of a highly competitive bid environment, fostered by current economic conditions. Materials costs for highway construction are down as well, contributing to overall savings for projects.
A total of 29 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects are currently under construction statewide. Seven more projects have been completed. Two additional projects have already been recently approved in Maricopa County, and ADOT is working to identify several more that will move forward statewide.
The ARRA projects will provide drivers with modernized freeways and highways to help them get to where they need to go during their daily commutes, for weekend travel, and to support the movement of goods and services. The Recovery Act projects reflect work ADOT has long planned to complete. The additional federal funding allows ADOT to tackle these projects sooner, and frees up local dollars for other work.
For more information on ADOT’s ARRA projects, including a map of projects, go to www.azdot.gov/recovery.
