Rowan roads to benefit from American Recovery Act funds

RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation will soon be putting American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to work to improve roads in Rowan and nearby counties.

Transportation Secretary Gene Conti has awarded a $3.9 million contract to J.T. Russell and Sons Inc. of Albemarle for milling and resurfacing 37.1 miles of primary and secondary roads in Rowan, the state announced. Work is scheduled to start as early as July 27 and be completed by Nov. 30.

The sections are:

- 4.7 miles of N.C. 152 west of China Grove from U.S. 29 to Millbridge Road;

- 4.2 miles of N.C. 150 (Mooresville Road) west of Salisbury from Miller Road to just east of Candlewick Drive (State Road 1825) in Salisbury;

- 1.6 miles of N.C. 801 from U.S. 70 to Sherrills Ford Road south of Cleveland; and

- 25.1 miles of seven secondary roads throughout the county.

The state said in a press release the project was selected for the federal stimulus funding because the state highway division that includes Rowan identified the roads as top priorities for repaving based on road conditions and traffic volumes, but it does not have funding available from traditional revenue sources to pay for the improvements.

Also, by using federal recovery act money, the state avoids delays and can move forward with the project and work could begin shortly after the project was awarded.

The Rowan project was one of five added to 31 contracts totaling $73 million awarded earlier this month for road and bridge projects around the state. Of those, the state is using federal stimulus money to pay for 11 projects, including one that will repave about 18 miles of roads in Davie and Davidson counties.

That $2.9 million project will improve parts of U.S. 158, U.S. 64, U.S. 601 and N.C. 801 in those counties.

"All of these projects will help generate new jobs and economic development for North Carolina, as well as improve travel throughout our state," Gov. Beverly Perdue said in a press release.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, every $1 million spent on transportation creates 30 jobs, and according to the construction industry, every dollar invested in transportation generates $6 in economic impact.

The other projects to be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are in Bertie Durham, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Lee, Stokes, Transylvania and Watauga counties. The 20 other projects awarded are located in Anson, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Catawba Cumberland, Granville, Henderson, Iredell, Lincoln, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, New Hanover, Polk, Sampson, Stanly, Transylvania, Warren and Yancey counties.

For more information about funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other Department of Transportation projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.