Stimulus for state projects

State leaders got a readiness warning from a man with some pull in our nation’s capitol.

U.S. Rep. James Oberstar told a Jan. 29 joint meeting of the House Transportation Finance and Policy Division and the Senate Transportation Committee that the state had best be ready with some transportation projects that could be funded with part of the proposed economic stimulus package approved one day earlier by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“We want to create jobs within 90 days,” said Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He said the bill, which contains $66 billion for transportation purposes — including $477 million for Minnesota — would put 12,000 Minnesotans to work on transportation and infrastructure projects by June.

“With this investment, we expect to lay a base and get people back working,” Oberstar said, adding the workers would be off the unemployment rolls, paying taxes again and spending money in the marketplace.

The money would go for projects that are ready to go, except for funding. He said the projects would be funded solely with federal dollars, instead of the normal 80 percent federal-20 percent state split. The Department of Transportation provided Oberstar a preliminary list of projects that could be funded through the stimulus package. They include asphalt and concrete work, bridge replacements and an expansion of Highway 610 in Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove. The Twin Cities metropolitan area/Greater Minnesota split is about 50-50.

If awarded dollars are not used for specific projects, they will be returned and distributed to other states that are ready to put those dollars to work.

“I don’t want Minnesota to be stumbling around,” he said.

Oberstar said states would be expected to advertise bids for projects within 30 days of the bill’s signing into law. Projects are to be awarded, and contractors are to be on site, within 60 days of signing. Forty-seven days from signing Oberstar said there would be a hearing of his committee to receive from every state the list of contracts that have been awarded, the number of jobs on-site, description of those jobs and the payroll. Subsequent lists will be required every 30 days until the funds are expended.