TDOT’s Gibson Co. Recovery Project Receives National Attention
Thursday, April 30, 2009 | 09:55am
Positive Impact to Tennessee Families and Economy Focus of CBS News Report
NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s first transportation project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is garnering national attention for boosting the state’s economy and creating hundreds of jobs.
The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric featured the $924,000 Gibson County project, which will replace three wooden, structurally deficient bridges built more than 40-years ago. At least 150 workers are involved in the project including Robin Patterson, who told CBS news that being called back to work saved both his home and his marriage. Patterson had been unemployed since November 2008.
“By putting people back to work we’re not just rebuilding our roads and bridges, we’re stabilizing families and putting this economy back on the right track.” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “The intent of the Recovery Act is to create jobs quickly. Tennessee is in the forefront of putting those recovery dollars to work and the Gibson County project is one of ten projects already underway in Tennessee.”
“From the people supplying our materials to the people actually building the bridge, 157 people are involved in the project,” said John Ford, owner of Ford Construction Company. “We have two Recovery projects underway and we plan to bid on more projects in May.”
TDOT will open bids on an additional 122 Recovery projects in 67 counties on May 8. The remainder of TDOT’s Recovery projects will be under contract by July.
Typically, state and local governments match federal funding for transportation projects by providing 20 percent of the overall cost; however, that match is being waived for ARRA projects, which is saving Gibson County government more than $200,000 on this three-bridge project alone.
To view video of the Wednesday, April 29 CBS Evening News with Katie Couric story, visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4979117n.
For more information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, visit www.recovery.gov or visit www.tn.gov/tdot and click on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act link in the middle of the page.
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