By Jim Reece & Jennifer Wilson - The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that effective Monday, the Federal Highway Administration will delay financial reimbursements from the Highway Trust Fund to all states. The delays will slow four projects in Amador County, but will not have any financial impact as the Amador County Transportation Commission is currently between projects. Amador County Transportation Agency Executive Director Charles Field says, "It could affect the federal grants that have already been awarded."
Those include improving intersections at Highway 49 at Court Street in Jackson; at Sutter Hill and Ridge Road in Sutter Creek; at New York Ranch Road and Ridge Road in the unincorporated area of the County; plus several other projects. He said the "silver lining" is that ACTC had not gone out to contract on any of the projects. This is good, he said, because to go out to contract takes a deposit of funds, which would have been reimbursed by the grant. He said Amador County would not feel the impact that other places in the United States could feel. "In the rest of the country (workers) went to work and were probably told to go home," Field said. If money had already been spent, they would only get reimbursed 40 to 60 cents on the dollar. Once they get it sorted out, then the feds can move forward with the projects and grants. California Department of Transportation Director Will Kempton announced the policy in a release Monday. "This latest announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation aggravates an already tight budget problem for California's transportation program," Kempton said. Caltrans had projected that the state budget impasse could impact ongoing transportation construction projects by October. But delays in federal reimbursements could exacerbate the situation. Kempton said "failure to resolve this issue will have a significant impact on California and the rest of the nation. Unless resolved, this situation could result in delaying, reducing, or canceling transportation projects." He said the ripple effect could impact California's economy through loss of revenues, reduced productivity and increased unemployment. In July, Kempton wrote a letter to California's congressional delegation emphasizing the need to resolve the issue at the earliest possible date. He said Caltrans will continue working with Congress and federal transportation officials to secure the passage of legislation that will address the funding shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund.
By Jim Reece & Jennifer Wilson - The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that effective Monday, the Federal Highway Administration will delay financial reimbursements from the Highway Trust Fund to all states. The delays will slow four projects in Amador County, but will not have any financial impact as the Amador County Transportation Commission is currently between projects. Amador County Transportation Agency Executive Director Charles Field says, "It could affect the federal grants that have already been awarded."
Those include improving intersections at Highway 49 at Court Street in Jackson; at Sutter Hill and Ridge Road in Sutter Creek; at New York Ranch Road and Ridge Road in the unincorporated area of the County; plus several other projects. He said the "silver lining" is that ACTC had not gone out to contract on any of the projects. This is good, he said, because to go out to contract takes a deposit of funds, which would have been reimbursed by the grant. He said Amador County would not feel the impact that other places in the United States could feel. "In the rest of the country (workers) went to work and were probably told to go home," Field said. If money had already been spent, they would only get reimbursed 40 to 60 cents on the dollar. Once they get it sorted out, then the feds can move forward with the projects and grants. California Department of Transportation Director Will Kempton announced the policy in a release Monday. "This latest announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation aggravates an already tight budget problem for California's transportation program," Kempton said. Caltrans had projected that the state budget impasse could impact ongoing transportation construction projects by October. But delays in federal reimbursements could exacerbate the situation. Kempton said "failure to resolve this issue will have a significant impact on California and the rest of the nation. Unless resolved, this situation could result in delaying, reducing, or canceling transportation projects." He said the ripple effect could impact California's economy through loss of revenues, reduced productivity and increased unemployment. In July, Kempton wrote a letter to California's congressional delegation emphasizing the need to resolve the issue at the earliest possible date. He said Caltrans will continue working with Congress and federal transportation officials to secure the passage of legislation that will address the funding shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund.
