Highway Commission OK's stimulus work
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Friday, March 20, 2009
By Elisa Crouch
The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission gave a thumbs up Thursday in Springfield to 143 federal stimulus projects across the state, angering some in the St. Louis area who think the region was snubbed.
Of the $577 million for road and bridge work, the region will get $173 million. On the list for St. Louis County are two $1 million sidewalk improvement projects and the $65 million relocation of Highway 141 north of Ladue Road. In St. Louis, $5 million in stimulus funds will repave Memorial Drive, and $17 million will renovate several blocks of Tucker Boulevard downtown.
Chief among the critics has been St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, who has argued his city should receive more because of its economically distressed condition.
Joining him Thursday was Tim Fischesser, executive director of the St. Louis County Municipal League, who'd hoped the commission would delay its vote and reconsider giving the Page Avenue extension in St. Charles County $43 million in stimulus funds. His hope was that the commission would find other money for part of that project, allowing the work to proceed while freeing up stimulus money for other work in St. Louis County.
"We're just livid," Fischesser said. "We thought what they were proposing was pretty unfair."
Missouri transportation officials have been under fire in recent weeks as they considered which projects to fund, balancing the needs of the system with requirements set by Congress.
Department officials presented their draft list this month in all 10 MoDOT districts. Many complaints were the same, Kevin Keith, chief engineer, said to the commission.
"Generally, people want more money," he said. "Every region, pick a place, region, area, town, mayor -- there was an expectation for more money than panned out."
The projects needed to clear several hurdles, Keith added. They had to be ready for construction, since half of money must be obligated by June 30. The state has until March 2, 2010 to obligate the rest.
Much of the money must be spent in economically distressed areas, or where the projects would maximize job creation. In the St. Louis region, only St. Louis itself is economically distressed, according to MoDOT. Sixty-one percent of the state's transportation stimulus funds will go to distressed areas, Keith said.
MoDOT officials also required that the projects reflect the highway commission's spending priority.
"I can't tell you it's a perfect plan, but it's a real good plan," Keith said.
In addition to the $577 million, is money for transit, smaller airports and rail. In St. Louis, Metro should receive about $45 million for capital purchases, such as new buses, but cannot spend that money on operational costs, such as bus drivers.
In St. Louis County, finishing Highway 141 will be partly done with funds the commission approved. St. Louis County plans to extend Maryland Heights
Expressway south to Olive Boulevard, with $20 million in stimulus funds allocated last month by East-West Gateway Council of Governments. The county, Chesterfield and Maryland Heights are also contributing.
"I'm happy about Highway 141," St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley said. "That's what President Obama wants. It creates jobs and opportunity."
In coming months, MoDOT will conduct an economic analysis of stimulus projects
to see what impact the spending has on the state, Keith said. Based on general economic formula, the department expects the projects to support 22,000 jobs
