American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Economic Stimulus Program
Project Update

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), signed into law February 17, 2009, included provisions for funding  'ready to go' transportation projects.  To be included, these projects had to complete 2 milestones:

Milestone 1: Obligation of Funds - project design must be approved by MoDOT in Missouri or IDOT in Illinois and be ready to advertise for bids by March 2, 2010.  All ARRA projects met this deadline.

Milestone 2: Award - before a project can begin construction, the project must receive concurrence from MoDOT or IDOT on the lowest responsive bidder. At this time IDOT and MoDOT staff are reviewing project bids.  All ARRA funded projects should begin construction by the summer of 2010.  All ARRA funded projects must be completed no later than February 2012.

In February, March and April of 2009, East-West Gateway’s Board of Directors approved a variety of projects to be financed with ARRA funding.  Along with state and transit agencies,  several projects were sponsored by local governments.  Staff  monitored the progress of 94 projects to be certain they could meet these milestones by the deadline.  These projects have nearly $290 million in ARRA funds programmed.

Status of ARRA Projects
Map of Projects Funded
Individual Project Tracking - Missouri
Individual Project Tracking - Illinois

ARRA Infrastructure Projects

Initial Process:

Staff completed a preliminary review of the conference report on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and summarized the transportation provisions most relevant to the Council’s transportation decision-making role in the metropolitan region. Of major importance are the critical deadlines for “obligating” federal funds, including completing plans so that federal funds can officially be made available to the project. Within 21 days of the bill’s passage, Congress is requiring the U.S. Dept. of Transportation to complete the apportionment of funds.  Staff is working to provide St. Louis-specific data on funding levels as soon as possible.

Listed below are documents, presentations and other  information which staff compiled and which were discussed and acted upon by East-West Gateway’s Board of Directors at its February 2009 meeting.  Additional information will be presented here as it becomes available.

Documents:

• ARRA Projects Requested by MoDOT - Revised - April 15, 2009
• Board of Directors Meeting Packet for March 2009 - March 25, 2009
• ARRA Approved Projects - February 25, 2009
• ARRA Summary List - Illinois - February 25, 2009
• ARRA Summary List - Missouri - February 25, 2009
• ARRA Project List - Illinois Dept. of Transportation - February 25, 2009
• ARRA Project List - Missouri Dept. of Transportation - April 17, 2009
• ARRA Project List - Metro - February 25, 2009
• Board of Directors Meeting Packet - February 25, 2009  - collection of documents used by the Board members  to discuss and take action on agenda items
• Air Quality Conformity Determination - Final - April 30, 2009

Maps:

• Map of Economically Distressed Areas - February 2009 (pdf file - 3.5 mg)
• Map: Franklin County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 3.9 mg)
• Map: Jefferson  County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 3.8 mg)
• Map: Madison County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 3.2 mg)
• Map: Monroe County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 2.9 mg)
• Map: St. Charles County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 3.6 mg)
• Map: St. Clair County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 3 mg)
• Map: St. Louis  County - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 3.7 mg)
• Map: St. Louis City - Submitted Projects - February 2009 (pdf file - 2.5 mg)

Presentations from the February 25, 2009, Board of Directors Meeting:

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:  Transportation Elements
  outlines the requirements of the ARRA and the stragegy behind EWG’s project recommendations
• PDF file (300 kb)
• Powerpoint Version (306 kb)
   
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:: TIP Amendment
  presents the project submittal and evaluation process used to develop East-West Gateway’s lsit of project recommendations
• PDF file (600 kb)
• Powerpoint Version (607 kb)

Summary Process:

All projects submitted for review as of February 13, 2009, by County

Application Process and Materials:

Listed below are the documents provided to prospective project sponsors.

• Important Application Information/Guidelines
   
• Explanation and Policy Position on Transportation Investment Element of the Federal Economic Recovery Program
   
• East-West Gateway Regional Roadway Functional Classification System
   
• Applications
• Transportation Infrastructure Project Solicitation Application
  (pdf form)
• Transportation Enhancement Projects Application
  MS Word document
• Congestion Management and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) application
  (pdf form)
   
• Workbooks
• Project Development Workbook
• Transportation Enhancement Project Development Workbook
• CMAQ Project Development Workbook