MoDOT says stimulus will move up many highway projects (within minutes of bill signing!)

KY3, Springfield, Mo. ^ | David Catanese, KY3 News

[ozark hilljilly]

OZARK, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to quickly award contracts for major construction projects after President Barack Obama signed a $787 billion stimulus package on Tuesday. Journagan Construction and its employees will be one of the companies that benefits from the work being moved up from 2010 or 2011 to now.

In Tuscumbia, between Lake of the Ozarks and Jefferson City, construction crews began replacing a rural bridge just minutes after Obama signed the law. The bridge project likely is the first in the nation to get started under the stimulus plan. It was scheduled to be replaced next year but MoDOT moved up the timetable for it and others after the agency learned it likely would get federal stimulus money this year.

Missouri transportation officials met at the bridge on Tuesday and quickly approved its replacement as a way of showing that infrastructure expenditures can have an immediate economic effect. Gov. Jay Nixon also attended and spoke at the ceremony.

[ozark hilljilly]

Our new Dim gov. even had a big road sign made ahead of time to proclaim this project to be the first in the nation of the "recovery" act, so he could have his photo-op. He is part of the Obama Brown Nose Brigade.

(my apologies if this has been already posted.)

[randog]

Keep a picture of that photo to compare the road to 10 years from now when it’s deteriorated due to a lack of maintenance money.

[ronnyquest]

One step forward, two steps back...

[rwfromkansas]

Considering Missouri roads are deathtraps, it is about time they actually do something instead of just letting the roads rot even more.

You take your life into your own hands there.

[Just another Joe]

Missouri ping

Low volume ping list

FReepmail me to be on, or off, this list.

[ozark hilljilly]

I beg to differ. That maybe true in St. Louis and KC, but anywhere else the roads are pretty decent and I’ve lived here virtually all my adult life.
Try driving in Arkansas...OY VEY!! They have no concept on how to properly ‘bank’ a curve. You’ll fly right off the road if you’re not careful.

[rwfromkansas]

True, I only have experience in the KC and St. Louis areas really (or I-70 in between). I don’t know about the rest of the state.

[rwfromkansas]

As for Arkansas, that sounds scary. No state is perfect....some KS roads are pretty bad as well. The rest of the time, you will always run into construction somewhere on the interstates, so pick your poison I guess....construction or shabby roads...lol.

[listenhillary]

Minutes after signing the bill? Did they have witnesses? I don’t believe them.

New hires? Or state workers sitting around twiddling their thumbs because there was no money for construction?

[ozark hilljilly]

Both KC and STL scare the crap outta me! Trying to negotiate the bridge crossings in STL is a nitemare and the road surfaces are completely trashed. It's amazing that there isn't more pile ups. I never go to either place...only if it's unavoidable.

[midwyf]

I saw that on TV last night. I thought what BS.

[listenhillary]

We’ve had a ton of construction projects finished in the last 4 years. This was after Missourians passed a state referendum banning the transfer of gas taxes and federal highway funds into the state general revenue fund.

[ozark hilljilly]

Oh yes, the vid was the top story on the tube yesterday. Nixon, all the MoDot honchos unveiling the sign as a backhoe was firing up in the background and hardhats wandering about completing the busy work scene.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

There are many narrow and poorly maintained roads around the Lake of the Ozarks area but nothing compares to HW 65 from Little Rock up to Branson. There must be two dozen 100 foot sheer cliffs with no guard rails, accompanied by a rumble strip down the middle of the asphalt. Parts of this highway cannot be more than 20 feet wide.

[ozark hilljilly]

“I saw that on TV last night. I thought what BS.”

Me, too. With exclamation points.

[ozark hilljilly]

Yep!
This is why I tell newcomers here that they better be damn good drivers or they won’t survive! LOL

[listenhillary]

Nixon planned and produced photo op? McCaskill probably gave him the idea. told him to do it.

[ozark hilljilly]

They are all peas in the same pod.
Pod people! ; )

I know kin of McCaskill, they absolutely loath her and are ashamed they’re related.

[dearolddad]

Considering Missouri roads are deathtraps, it is about time they actually do something instead of just letting the roads rot even more.

You take your life into your own hands there.

Does anyone ever ask the state where the gas tax money that is supposed to be used for the repair/building of roads/bridges is going?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Good point ! For decades, $.02 out of every nickle in Missouri's gas tax was siphoned off to run other agencies in government. This was changed in a recent vote to mandate all fuel taxes be used for roads.