Federal stimulus funding has supported hundreds of projects and created thousands of Oregon construction jobs.

According to a report from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the State of Oregon has used more than $107 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act during the past year on construction projects to fix roads and bridges.

A separate report from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee found that funding supported 288 projects, which in turn created about 6,359 jobs throughout Oregon. This is welcome news, as the state had an unemployment rate of 11 percent during December 2009.

“In 2009, Oregon had the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation,” Matthew Garrett, director of the Oregon Transportation Department, said. “Federal (stimulus) funds were a critical boost to employment at a crucial time, and we have a better transportation system as its legacy. Make no mistake, however, much more is needed.”

Some of the most notable construction projects in Oregon supported by stimulus funding, as noted by the Statesman Journal, include:

  • Enhancements for computer-based traffic management systems in the Portland area.
  • Improvements to a network of walking and biking trails that stretch from the Glenn Jackson Bridge to Gladstone in Clackamas County.
  • Construction of a transit center in Hood River.
  • Improvements to Interstate 405 near Portland.
  • Realignment of a dangerous section of Highway 20. The project includes the construction of eight new bridges.

The funds received by Oregon were part of a $787 billion economic recovery bill passed by President Barack Obama one year ago. States were allocated $48 billion for road, bridge, transit, high-speed rail and aviation projects, with about $27 billion of that meant for road and bridge projects alone.

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