Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday signed an allocation bill for $835 Million Dollars for regional transportation agencies, part of $1.6 Billion Dollars in federal economic stimulus from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Mark DeSio of the California Department of Transportation, said Schwarzenegger is “continuing his push to create jobs through infrastructure-based investment.” ARRA projects to get funding include 2 projects in Amador County, both on Highway 88. The first is near Barton, from 1/10th mile west of Wagon Wheel Drive to 1/10th mile west of Silver Lake Road, costing $1.16 Million Dollars. The second is Highway 88 near Plasse, from 2 miles west of Tragedy Springs Road to 3/10th-miles east of Kit Carson Lodge Road, also costing $1.16 Million Dollars. The law “modifies existing state law, providing greater delegation to regional transportation agencies for selecting projects and programming their dollars,” DeSio said in a release. Each region is developing a list of projects that could be funded by the $1.6 billion-dollar pool of money. The new law also gives CalTrans flexibility to use $310 million dollars in federal economic stimulus funds, to move a number of Proposition 1B projects more quickly to construction. DeSio said “Caltrans will propose projects that provide construction jobs immediately and also provide the greatest long-term economic benefits for the state.” Caltrans launched an Economic Recovery Website, DeSio said, “designed to provide “up-to-date information on using ARRA funds on transportation projects to create jobs and jump-start the economy.” Online see www.dot.ca.gov/recovery or the federal site, www.recovery.gov. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.