Construction Equipment Owner

Now here’s a troubling news being reported by CNNMoney.com: Some 14 states have only a few weeks left to gain approval for highway projects or risk losing millions of stimulus dollars.

States will have to “obligate” at least half their share of stimulus funds for road and bridge improvements by the end of June. Otherwise the federal Department of Transportation will redistribute half the leftover money.

For the workers, economy, etc. in those states (Alaska we’re talking to you with only 6.3% of its $122.8 million in funds obligated to this point) I hope they are able to gain approval for their projects from the Federal Highway Administration. There is still time to get projects approved as that is the criteria to this point, not having actually spent the money by the end of June. So let’s not panic yet. I’ll continue to believe the delays are due to careful selection and planning (see Ohio’s Unusual Path in article) as opposed to a lack of organization or other factors as missing out on any part of this stimulus would be a big mistake by the states.