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Gov. Gregoire signs transportation stimulus bill
Funding now available for state road projects,
creating jobs
March 5, 2009
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed the transportation stimulus
measure, House Bill 1978. The legislation authorizes the immediate
spending of federal stimulus funds for state projects and approves the
2009 supplemental transportation budget.
“I commend House and Senate leadership on this important step to
economic recovery in Washington state,” Gregoire said. “Working
together, we will get people back to work and emerge from these tough
economic times in a strong, competitive position. I am confident that
when this national recession ends, Washington will be a leader in the
21st century economy.”
Money in the federal recovery package is critical to placing the country
on the path to economic stability and long-term growth, and funds
Washington’s transportation stimulus package. It will pump millions of
dollars into local economies, which will help support and create jobs
while providing significant improvements to roads and bridges.
“The statewide project list funded by these stimulus funds will not only
help highway maintenance and safety, they will also provide jobs all
over our state,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chair
of the Senate Transportation Committee. “We’ll see plenty of people at
work pouring concrete and laying asphalt, thanks to these funds — but
there will also be people working behind the scenes supplying and
delivering raw materials and providing other services that go far beyond
the men and women you see wearing hardhats along the roadside.”
“I’m proud that we acted swiftly and collaboratively,” said Rep. Judy
Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chair of the House Transportation Committee.
“This money will flow to communities across the state, creating
thousands of jobs at the time we need it most.”
The transportation package is not a cure-all for the state’s economy but
puts Washington a step closer to recovery by helping to keep critically
important transportation and infrastructure systems in place so
travelers and freight continue to move.
The recovery package includes accountability measures to ensure that
federal money is directed to the right projects and used in the right
way. To this end, Gregoire’s office has created a Web site so the public
can track how the money is spent. For information on state and federal
recovery plans, grant opportunities and accountability measures, which
will be added to the site, visit
http://www.recovery.wa.gov/.
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