News

February 27, 2009

Officials get road stimulus briefing

State Rep. Todd Eachus holds meeting to detail how federal package will create local jobs.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Steve Mocarsky on Facebook   |   @TLSteveMocarsky on Twitter

SUGARLOAF TWP. – Municipal officials in southern Luzerne County on Thursday learned how much of the $80 billion in federal economic stimulus money pegged for Pennsylvania will be dedicated to road and bridge repairs in their area, and about the process they need to follow to get their fair municipal share.

State Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township, invited elected officials from all of the municipalities in his district to meet with him and George Roberts, district executive for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s District 4, at Top of the 80s restaurant for a briefing on the stimulus money.

“We want to try to get as many people working in our county as possible. This is really about jobs and economic stimulation – getting people on backhoes, spreading asphalt, getting our plants working again making rebar and getting stuff going,” Eachus said.

Of the $80 billion in stimulus money designated for Pennsylvania, $1.026 billion will be used for transportation infrastructure – mainly highway and bridge repair, Roberts said.

Luzerne and Lackawanna counties will receive $32.7 million – nearly half of the $70 million designated for District 4, which also includes Wyoming, Susquehanna, Wayne and Pike counties, Roberts said.

In addition, $20 million will be used for repaving Interstate 81 in Luzerne County from the Schuylkill County line north to West Hazleton and from Nanticoke north to the Lackawanna County line.

Eachus said much discussion focused on a federally mandated timeline. “It has to be spent within 120 days on projects that are pre-engineered, meet federal guidelines and are ready to go,” he said, adding that some projects might be eligible for a completion deadline of up to a year.

The clock will start ticking soon. Roberts said the state will receive the federal money as soon as Monday or Tuesday.

“The federal stimulus package is all about trying to get as much money pumped into our national economy as quickly as possible so we can get people working. … We have local projects that may be eligible from a number of municipalities, so we’ll have to wait and see,” Eachus said.

Eachus named an intermodal transportation facility in Hazleton and a bypass connecting state routes 309 and 93 in Hazle Township as local projects that might qualify for the funding.

He said the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Luzerne and Lackawanna counties will screen applications from each municipality.

Steve Mocarsky, a Times leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews

This story also appears on the following websites...