Virginia has obligated half of its discretionary federal transportation stimulus funding.
The Federal Highway Administration has accepted the state's list of $287 million in highway and transit projects proposed for stimulus funding, the Virginia Department of Transportation said yesterday.
June 29 was the deadline for the state to nail down how it will spend 50 percent of the $576.6 million in special federal money for transportation.
The 50 percent obligation milestone means that the Commonwealth Transportation Board, VDOT and the state Department of Rail and Public Transportation have been given the green light to begin spending the discretionary funding for transportation projects statewide.
VDOT has advertised $246 million in projects and has awarded $81 million in contracts so far.
Virginia had taken some flak for being the last U.S. state to begin to obligate funds for stimulus projects, which it did last month.
The state has gone through a time-consuming process -- involving local, regional, state and federal officials as well as the public -- to pick projects for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.
"We have worked hard with our partners to identify eligible projects and balance speed with due diligence to reach this point," state Transportation Commissioner David S. Ekern said in a statement.
Said DRPT director Charles Badger: "Virginia's priorities have focused on meeting the basic needs of our transportation system -- transit equipment and bus replacements, structurally deficient bridges and pavements, and economic development." -- Peter Bacqué
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