Pending legislation could provide money for city, county road projects

By Howard Greninger

TERRE HAUTE — If pending federal legislation known as the “Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010” becomes law, Vigo County could receive as much as $2.6 million for transportation improvement projects.

However, projects might be required to be designed and under contract within 90 days of the state receiving federal funds, and they would be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, said Ron Hinsenkamp, chief transportation planner for West Central Indiana Economic Development District.

The development district is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for Terre Haute and Vigo County.

The MPO, made up of city and county elected officials and others, determines county and city transportation projects, and how many federal and state dollars are used on those projects.

In the event federal funding is granted, a policy committee of the MPO on Tuesday voted to place five resurfacing projects in the MPO’s transportation improvement plans. Four of the projects are in the county, one is in the city.

That city project would resurface Fort Harrison Road from 13th Street to Fruitridge Avenue.

The county projects would resurface Chamberlain Road from U.S. 40 to Indiana 42; Gross Road from Indiana 159 to McDaniel Road; Fagin Road from Riley Road/Davis Avenue to Springhill Road; and Old Paris Road from the Lower Sandford Road to the state line.

“All of this is very tentative, but INDOT has asked us to go ahead with planning, in the event we do get funding,” Hinsenkamp said.

The Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010 is aimed at creating or saving jobs with targeted investments, up to $75 billion, for highways and transit, school renovation, hiring teachers, police and firefighters, small business, job training and affordable housing.

The legislation contains both emergency and non-emergency funding that is partly covered by savings from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The U.S. House passed the Main Street jobs bill on Dec. 16, but the legislation must still gain U.S. Senate approval.

The outcome of that bill is uncertain, particularly in light of recent developments in Washington.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and John McCain, R-Ariz., announced they will introduce bipartisan legislation designed “to rein in excessive government spending and reform U.S. fiscal policy” to address the nation’s record $12 trillion national debt.

President Obama earlier this week announced that in his State of the Union address today he will call on Congress to freeze non-security discretionary spending for three years.

The Bayh-McCain bill would place a moratorium on so-called wasteful earmark spending until the federal budget is balanced, and it would give the president line-item veto authority to weed out wasteful spending. The proposed bill, however, does not stop Congress’ ability to create jobs, according to a press release from Bayh.



Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com

Text Only | Photo Reprints