Jobs coming as ODOT awards Contracts on Stimulus Projects
along Ohio’s Interstates, Local Roadways and Bridges 

COLUMBUS (Friday, May 29, 2009) - As the first 100 days of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act conclude, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) reports it has awarded contracts for the first 17 transportation infrastructure projects in Ohio funded through the federal stimulus. This means construction companies will begin mobilizing workers for these jobs.

These first 17 projects - a combination of interstate, local roadway and bridge modernization projects - represent an estimated investment of $16.5 million in stimulus funds. The projects are: 

Cuyahoga County: Widening of the Interstate 490/Interstate 77 ramp
Summit County: Interstate 271 Slope Repair and Reconstruction
Guernsey County: Interstate 77 Resurfacing
Hancock County: Interstate 75 Pavement Upgrade
Perry County: US Route 22 Resurfacing
Harrison County: US Route 22 Bridge Modernization
Wyandot County: US Route 23 Pavement Upgrade
Darke County: US Route 36 Pavement Upgrade
Carroll/Columbiana Counties: State Route 39 Resurfacing
Erie County: State Route 61 Bridge Replacement
Putnam County: State Routes 189/190/694 Resurfacing
Darke County: State Route 571 Pavement Upgrade
Lorain County: State Route 83 Bridge Modernization
Medina County: State Route 301 Bridge Modernization
Van Wert and Paulding Counties: State Route 49 Pavement Upgrade
Shelby County: State Route 47 Pavement Upgrade
Auglaize/Shelby Counties: State Route 362 Pavement Upgrade

Work on these projects could begin as early as next month. All companies awarded ODOT contracts funded by Recovery Act resources are required to post any new job opportunities at www.OhioMeansJobs.com, an online source to match job seekers with employment openings across the state.

In addition, five airport projects in Ohio are receiving $29.2 million in stimulus funds through the Federal Aviation Administration. These projects - at both commercial service and general aviation airports - include: 

Cuyahoga County: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Taxiway Construction
Cuyahoga County: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Aircraft Apron Construction
Montgomery County: Dayton International Airport Taxiway Lighting Upgrade
Athens County: Ohio University Airport Runway Safety Area Improvement
Hancock County: Findlay Airport Taxiway Relocation

ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) continue to move infrastructure projects closer to the construction phase. To date, FHWA has authorized more than $159.8 million in stimulus investments, including strategic projects at Ohio’s water port and along its railroads. An additional $159.7 million in projects have been submitted for authorization by FHWA in the next several weeks.

Under ARRA requirements, ODOT must have authorized approximately $327.5 million of its $774 million stimulus allocation by June 29, 2009. The remaining amount must be authorized by March 1, 2010. States that meet these timeline requirements can compete for additional money lost by other states that fail to meet these deadlines.

A complete list of the transportation infrastructure projects prioritized for stimulus funding - with updates on projects which have been authorized by FHWA, contracts which have been awarded, and new employment opportunities - can be found online at: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Communications/Pages/FederalStimulusProjectListing.aspx

ODOT also continues to work with Ohio’s eight major Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) which were directly sub-allocated $161.5 million in transportation infrastructure stimulus funds. To date, FHWA has authorized $16.6 million in projects sponsored by the MPOs in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown.

This year, ODOT embarked on the largest investment in Ohio’s transportation system in state history. Since the beginning of January, ODOT has awarded more than $711 million in construction/capital contracts. By the end of December, ODOT expects to invest a total of $1.9 billion in transportation construction.