Jobs Act could mean added funding for MoDOT
Much-needed funding could be headed to the Missouri Department of Transportation should President Barack Obama’s American Jobs Act be approved by Congress.
According to a White House fact sheet on the Jobs Act plan, there would be $50 billion in immediate investment for highways, transit, rail and aviation across the United States.
For Missouri, that would mean an additional $716.9 million that could support a minimum of 9,300 jobs.
Sally Oxenhandler, MoDOT community relations manager, said the department did not yet have many details on the Jobs Act. She added that MoDOT does have a number of projects in development that could be moved up rapidly should there be additional funding.
“We welcome any funding we might get,” Oxenhandler said. “We will be able to put it to use quickly.”
MoDOT is currently undergoing a severe funding crisis, which led to the July announcement that the department’s new five-year highway construction program would be cut in half to about $600 million a year rather than the average $1.2 billion.
According to a White House fact sheet on the Jobs Act plan, there would be $50 billion in immediate investment for highways, transit, rail and aviation across the United States.
For Missouri, that would mean an additional $716.9 million that could support a minimum of 9,300 jobs.
Sally Oxenhandler, MoDOT community relations manager, said the department did not yet have many details on the Jobs Act. She added that MoDOT does have a number of projects in development that could be moved up rapidly should there be additional funding.
“We welcome any funding we might get,” Oxenhandler said. “We will be able to put it to use quickly.”
MoDOT is currently undergoing a severe funding crisis, which led to the July announcement that the department’s new five-year highway construction program would be cut in half to about $600 million a year rather than the average $1.2 billion.