http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/modotgetsj_4114.mp3
Just moments after President Obama signed the 787 billion dollar stimulus plan into law, the state of Missouri jumped into action, beginning construction on four transportation projects. KSMU’s Jennifer Moore reports.
One of the transportation projects is in southwest Missouri: the construction of alternating passing lanes along Route 60 from Monett to Republic. The 8.7 million dollars funding the project are coming directly from the stimulus package; MoDOT's district engineer for Springfield region, Kirk Juranas, says this project alone is expected to create 200 jobs.
Juranas says the whole idea behind the stimulus plan is to give money for a project like this one and, from that, affect other areas of the public and private sectors.
The quarry that won the contract for this project is Journegan Quarries in Ozark, Missouri. At the quarry site, dumptrucks carry the crushed limestone used in the company’s projects.
John View, vice president of the quarry, says he’s already begun calling laborers who were laid off in recent months to tell them to come back to work for the MODOT project.
MODOT will also use the federal stimulus dollars immediately for three other projects: to rebuild a bridge near Tuscumbia, to resurface part of Interstate 35 in Clinton County and fixing the pavement on I-55 in New Madrid county.FOR KSMU News, I’m Jennifer Moore.