Gov. Gregoire, Sec. Hammond announce recovery funds contract to preserve US 101, SR 103

For Immediate Release: April 6, 2009

LONG BEACH � Gov. Chris Gregoire and Washington State Department of Transportation Sec. Paula Hammond today announced that Morse Bros., Inc. won the contract to complete the first stimulus transportation project in Southwest Washington with a $1.8 million bid.

The project received $690,000 in federal funding, and will support an estimated 18 jobs.

�In these tough economic times, every job matters. This funding provides another opportunity to improve our transportation system, while getting paychecks to workers completing this job,� Gregoire said. �I commend Sec. Hammond and all involved at WSDOT for getting these contracts awarded quickly. This is another great example of Washington state getting federal stimulus money flowing through our economy in an accountable way to create jobs and stimulate our economy.�

�WSDOT is eager to begin construction and help create jobs in Washington,� said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. �The positive impact of this project will be seen not only in the jobs it supports but also in the long-term improvement of highways that are vital to the economic health of the Long Beach peninsula.�

The project paves a portion of US 101 near Fort Columbia and SR 103 through the City of Long Beach. Crews will chip seal SR 103 between Long Beach and Ocean Park. Paving work will begin in June with work expected to be completed by late July. Chip seal work is expected to be completed by late August.

This is the first of six ARRA WSDOT highway projects to be constructed in Southwest Washington, bringing more than $27 million in stimulus funding to the area. Additionally, a total of $15.3 million in stimulus funds will be spent on 23 local city and county construction projects throughout the region.

For more information about the US 101/SR 103 � Fort Columbia to Long Beach � paving project, please visit the project Web page at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/PavementRehab/SR103_177StToBaySt/.

For more information about 181 ARRA highway projects being built around the state, please visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/funding/stimulus.

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Washington state is administering the Recovery Act investments with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Gov. Gregoire created a new website, www.recovery.wa.gov, enabling every Washingtonian to see where their tax dollars are going and hold government accountable for the results. On the federal level, President Obama has appointed Vice President Biden, a proven and aggressive Inspector General, to oversee all state�s recovery efforts and root out waste and fraud. This combined oversight will ensure taxpayer dollars aren�t wasted.

WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

Contacts: Denys Tak, WSDOT Project Engineer, (800) 545-1393 (toll-free in Kelso)