Media Contact: John Lisle at (202) 671-2004
(Washington, DC) Today, the Fenty Administration proudly announced the District of Columbia is leading the way in obligating American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) state transportation funds. According to the States’ and Localities’ Current and Planned Uses of Funds While Facing Fiscal Stresses report released July 9 by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), a mandated report stressing state accountability and transparency in the use of ARRA funds, the District has obligated 95 percent of the state ARRA funds that were required to be obligated during the first 120 days, and ranks number one over the 16 select states GAO reviewed.
The Recovery Act stipulates that each state must obligate a certain percentage of funds within the first 120 days it’s granted. The District was required to obligate 50 percent of $86 million identified as state highway funds by June 30. Under Mayor Fenty’s direction, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) exceeded that goal on April 22 and has now obligated $82.6 million, which is 95 percent of that amount.
“The District is working as hard as humanly possible to get our stimulus dollars out in the communities where they are needed most,” said Mayor Fenty. “We are pleased that DDOT received this recognition, and commend them for their stellar work to improve the District’s infrastructure.”
The District’s transportation ARRA funds are being used to move forward significant infrastructure and economic enhancement projects and include street and interstate reconstruction and resurfacing, bridge rehabilitation, installation and repair of new sidewalks and roadways, and expansion of the city’s bike-share program. The first project to be completed was the repaving of Interstate 395 and a second, a streetlight upgrade and improvement project, is underway.
“This money will be spent in the neighborhoods that need it the most — to create jobs, spark economic development, and build world class public space for our citizens,” said Gabe Klein, the Director of DDOT. “We thank the Obama Administration for the opportunity to address long overdue infrastructure projects.”
The District received a total of $123.5 million in ARRA funding for transportation related projects including road, bridges and other transportation related programs.
For a full list of DDOT’s stimulus projects or more detail on the District’s ARRA projects, visit the District’s stimulus web site at recovery.dc.gov.
The entire GAO report is available online*.