RALEIGH ó Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that 15 contracts totaling $29.3 million have been awarded for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina, including seven projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The project in Rowan County is a $257,168 contract awarded to Dane Construction Inc. of Mooresville to replace the bridge over a creek on Wetmore Road (State Road 1949) in the Woodleaf community with a new concrete culvert. Work can begin as early as Aug. 31 with final completion set for Dec. 31.
The bridge goes over an unnamed creek, which is a tributary to Fourth Creek.
Signed detour routes will be set up during construction to ensure traffic flows smoothly.
The contracts were awarded by Transportation Secretary Gene Conti to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law.
“These projects will stimulate economic growth by creating and maintaining jobs as we enhance safety and keep our people traveling,” Perdue said.
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 recovery projects awarded are in Anson, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Dare, Forsyth and Hyde counties. The eight other projects awarded are located in Brunswick, Cherokee, Cumberland, Iredell, McDowell, Pitt, and Rutherford counties. Work on the projects will start in late August, September and October.
Five additional projects were let to contract in July. Four of them will be awarded if the low bidder demonstrates that it has met “good faith effort” requirements in attempting to reach the disadvantaged business enterprise goals set forth in the contracts.
For more information about funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other NCDOT projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.