Roads construction good for economy

With the widespread disrepair of America's infrastructure and continuing economic challenges, I strongly urge you to provide badly needed investments in the U.S. transportation system - improving Americans' way of life and creating jobs in the process. Data clearly demonstrates that the funding Congress provided last year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act played a vital role in supporting the transportation construction sector and its suppliers and helping set the groundwork for economic recovery.

The ARRA provided $48.1 billion for transportation investments in highways, roads, transit, bridges, and airport construction and maintenance to help spur job creation. These funds are being invested throughout the U.S. and creating or sustaining jobs in the process. Based on data received by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as of Nov. 30, 2009, of the $34.3 billion provided for highway and transit formula programs under the ARRA, $24.8 billion, or 72 percent, had been put out to bid on 11,304 projects; 9,542 projects totaling $21.4 billion were under contract; 8,587 projects totaling $19.7 billion had begun work; and these highway and transit projects have created or sustained more than 250,000 direct, on-project jobs and more than 760,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs.

While some in Congress have recently argued to the contrary, the fact is that these investments provided a needed lifeline for the transportation construction industry and their suppliers. Transportation investment has been and should remain a bipartisan issue because transportation investments improve the quality of life, safety, and economic competitiveness of all Americans.

Larrie Funk

West Dundee