The $787-billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has about $130 billion slated for construction. While much of the money is slow in coming, the first wave of funded projects typically were repaving and other quick, off-the-shelf highway projects. These had contractors scrambling and bidding ferociously, keeping prices at bare-bone levels and opening the door for even more construction projects.
“The lower bids we received on the 181 projects we had certified for stimulus- act funds have allowed us to certify another five state and 10 local projects so far, and there are more in line,” said Melanie Coon, spokeswoman for the Washington State Dept. of Transportation. “The stimulus funds, combined with the lower prices and money we had from a state gas tax, have made it possible for us to go ahead with $1.4 billion worth of critically needed work on highways and bridges statewide.”