Charlotte’s first taste of money from the federal economic stimulus package may be in south Mecklenburg, with an $8.3million widening of N.C. 51 from Pineville’s downtown to the S.C. line.
As President Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus bill Tuesday, the N.C. Department of Transportation announced it was using $100 million of the money for a number of projects statewide.
Many of the projects – like the one mile of N.C. 51 improvements – were already scheduled to be awarded to contractors next month. But since the state DOT faces a steep shortfall in money because of the recession, many would have been delayed.
Gaston County is expected to get $5.2 million worth of grading, paving and traffic signal work on Gastonia Highway in the Bessemer City area from Maine Avenue to N.C. 275.
And two projects in Stanly County will be contracted March 17 – an extension of Ridge Street near the county’s airport ($5.8 million) and a bridge replacement over Long Creek on N.C. 73 ($4.47 million).
“The stimulus money is keeping those projects on schedule,” said Barry Moose, the N.C. DOT division engineer who oversees the Charlotte region.
Moose had considered hoarding his stimulus money – expected to be between $70 million and $75 million – for one large project. But he and Charlotte transportation officials decided to spread the money to several small jobs, in an effort to keep contractors employed.
Moose has a short list of other road projects that could receive stimulus money. Among them: resurfacing Interstate 85 in Cabarrus County from N.C. 73 to U.S. 29 and widening N.C. 73 east of Interstate 77.
“After that, we’ll have money for some smaller projects,” Moose said.
Overall, North Carolina is receiving $838million for transportation.
The stimulus package also includes money for schools, transit, high-speed rail and energy-related projects such as weatherizing buildings.
The Charlotte Area Transit System could receive $22 million for capital projects.
Source: CharlotteObserver.com
