LANSING -Today the Senate passed a $900 million transportation stimulus bill one week ahead of the April 2 deadline set by State Senator Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville). These federal funds will put 25,000 workers back on the job, making improvements to roads, bridges, and highways and pouring money back into the state’s struggling economy.

“I was critical on March 11th when my Republican colleagues created a special committee to oversee federal stimulus expenditures,” said Switalski. “I feared an additional committee would slow us down and make us miss critical deadlines. Today, my colleagues proved me wrong. I apologize for doubting you. Thank you for the speedy bi-partisan passage of HB 4582.”

Funding is determined by a formula used for the distribution of all federal funds. To meet the criteria, Michigan transportation projects must be ready to go within 120 days, be eligible for federal aid, and be approved through the federal aid process. Distribution within the state is determined by population, where the dollars will have the most impact in creating jobs, and where the greatest need for infrastructure improvements exists. The goal is to stimulate economic activity statewide, and to create as many jobs as possible.

If projects throughout the state are completed within a set frame of time, the state will be eligible for an additional $120 million in funding, which combined with the initial investments will create an estimated 25,000 jobs.

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