Sacramento - Caltrans announced on Wednesday the completion – 100 days ahead of schedule – of a $5.4 million highway safety improvement project on State Route 49 in El Dorado County. The project was financed entirely by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“My administration will continue to work around the clock to push Recovery Act funding into our economy as quickly as possible to help create jobs and put California on the road to economic recovery,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The project realigned a rural section of SR-49 between Dolomite Drive and China Hill Road in El Dorado County, smoothing out curves on the roadway to make it safer for motorists. New paved highway shoulders were also built further improving safety.

“State Route 49 is a convenient connector between U.S. Highway 50 and Amador County. This project improves safety for everyone traveling on this important Gold Country highway,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim.

“Thanks to the Recovery Act funding, Veerkamp was able to retain 15 employees who in all probability, would have not worked at all last year. Veerkamp also added five new employees to accelerate the construction schedule,” said Doug Veerkamp, President, Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc. of Placerville, the project’s contractor.

Under Governor Schwarzenegger’s leadership, California has obligated nearly $2.6 billion in Recovery Act funding to 991 highway, local street, and job training transportation projects statewide. For more information on the Recovery Act visit: http://recovery.ca.gov/.

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