HAWAI`I TO RECEIVE $246 MILLION IN FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS FOR HIGHWAY, AIRPORT AND BUS TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTSFederally Funded Projects to Create Estimated 3,170 Jobs for Hawai`i Residents For Immediate Release: March 16, 2009
The federal stimulus funds include $125.7 million for state and county highway improvement projects, $76.5 million for improvements to Kahului Airport and Honolulu International Airport, and $43.8 million for county bus transit systems improvements. The state estimates the federally funded transportation projects will generate approximately 3,170 jobs statewide in the construction industry and other related sectors. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism estimates that for every million dollar in stimulus money invested, 12.9 jobs will be created or preserved. The federal stimulus funds will further support Hawai‘i’s efforts to modernize the state’s infrastructure, including the Airports Modernization Plan launched in 2005 and the Highways Modernization Plan launched this January. The federal funds will also augment the $1.8 billion capital improvement project (CIP) plan unveiled by Governor Lingle in December 2008, whose goal is to start more than 1,500 construction projects within the next 18 months. “Because of our ongoing focus on investing in the repair and modernization of Hawai‘i’s infrastructure, especially our critical transportation systems, Hawai‘i is well positioned to take maximum advantage of the federal stimulus package and create jobs for our residents,” said Governor Lingle. “These projects will further our efforts to stimulate the local economy while improving our infrastructure system for Hawai‘i’s long-term future.” Determining which state and county road projects would be funded required an unprecedented level of coordination and collaboration between the Federal Highways Administration, the state Department of Transportation (DOT), the four county mayors and their transportation directors, and the O‘ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO). The funding for the county highway projects is being coordinated through the state Department of Transportation, which is serving as the lead conduit for transportation projects statewide that will receive federal stimulus funds. “We are the first state to finalize our project list and begin utilizing the federal stimulus funds,” said Brennon Morioka, director of the state Department of Transportation. “This was made possible because federal, state, and county officials were able to sit down at the same table and work efficiently and effectively so that we can save and create jobs,” he added. In assessing the potential road projects, state and county officials considered each project’s timeline, including if the project could go out to bid in the next few months and whether an environmental assessment would be needed. In addition, it was important to ensure the projects were fairly distributed geographically, including in economically distressed zones and areas where the project would have an impact in creating jobs. The state has also been working closely with U.S. Senator Dan Inouye and his staff to help facilitate the flow of federal funds to Hawai‘i. “The purpose of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to jumpstart economic growth for our nation,” said Sen. Inouye. “For Hawai‘i, today’s announcement of highway and airport projects moves us in this direction. I am very pleased that the state and counties worked together expeditiously to arrive at this list that will create jobs and improve infrastructure throughout the state. I support the projects on each island. Let us continue in the spirit of cooperation to ensure that the projects are completed on time and on budget.”
The five primary objectives outlined for federal agencies and the nation’s governors, who are serving as the conduit for funds distributed to their states, ensure that: • Recovery funds are awarded and distributed in a prompt, fair, and reasonable manner; • The recipients and uses of all recovery funds are transparent to the public, and that the public benefits of these funds are reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner; • Recovery funds are used for authorized purposes and every step is taken to prevent instances of fraud, waste, error and abuse; • Projects funded under the recovery legislation avoid unnecessary delays and cost overruns; and, • Programs meet specific goals and targets, and contribute to improved performance on broad economic indicators.
Highways ($125,700,000) The state projects (see maps posted on website) include: Kaua‘i ($20,200,000) O‘ahu ($18,800,000) Hawai‘i ($11,000,000) Maui ($7,000,000) Moloka‘i ($6,000,000) State highway projects using federal stimulus funds will go out to bid following state procurement guidelines. The projects will be posted for advertisement on the state’s procurement notice system website: www.hawaii.gov/bidapps. Interested contractors can also visit the DOT Contracts Office at 869 Punchbowl Street to speak to someone directly for more information about the projects. Consistent with state guidelines, each project will be advertised for 30 days, at which time all bids are due. The county projects include: Hawai‘i County ($35,600,000) City and County of Honolulu ($19,200,000) Maui County ($6,000,000) Kaua‘i County ($4,200,000)
Airports ($76,500,000) The bulk of the funds, $61.5 million, will be used to install Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) at Kahului Airport ($18.5 million) and Honolulu International Airport ($43 million) to screen and process checked baggage. EDS improvements are part of the state’s current Airports Modernization Plan, which helped in securing the federal stimulus funds. Hawai‘i was selected by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as one of only 11 states that will share in $700 million in federal stimulus funds for the procurement and installation of the EDS nationwide. “We’re pleased to be one of only 11 states in the nation to receive the funding for these important airport improvements, which will cover 90 percent of the projects’ costs,” said Governor Lingle. “The federal money will allow us to leverage our funds for other state airport projects that are already part of our Airports Modernization Plan,” she added. “The Kahului EDS project is already underway and the Honolulu project is ready to go, which is why I believe these projects were chosen,” stated Brian Sekiguchi, DOT-Airports deputy director. “We’ll be able to utilize these funds and create more jobs right away.” The EDS projects at Kahului Airport and at the Overseas Terminal at Honolulu International Airport will relocate the security equipment from the ticket lobbies to behind the ticket counters, resulting in more spacious lobbies for the passengers. The equipment will be integrated into the outgoing baggage conveyor system, which will cut down on the time it takes passengers to check in baggage. Also, because TSA staff will no longer need to monitor the EDS, they can be redeployed to the passenger check points. The Kahului project began in May 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in July 2010; construction of the Honolulu EDS project will begin late summer and be completed in May 2011. An additional $15 million will go toward building a new apron at Kahului Airport, which is also part of the state’s Airports Modernization Plan. The new apron, which is ready to advertise this month, will provide space for more aircraft to fly in and out of Kahului. Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2009 and be completed in May 2010.
#### Brennon Morioka Lenny Klompus Russell Pang Document Actions |
|
