Department of Transportation - Highways

Overview

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act – ARRA) was signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009 included $27.5 Billion for Highway Infrastructure Investment.  It is changing the face of the nation – physically in terms of improvements to our infrastructure and economically by saving or creating jobs.  On March 5, 2009 the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Highways Division (HDOT-HWY), was apportioned $125,746,380 in ARRA funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under the Highway Infrastructure Investment Program. 

Use of Funds

The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Highways Division worked with the four counties (City and County of Honolulu, County of Hawaii, County of Maui and County of Kauai) to prioritize projects that would utilize the ARRA funds.  Projects were selected based on project readiness to be constructed and meet fiscal funding requirements, also considered were Economically Distressed Areas and equitable geographic distribution of the funds.  Projects on the islands of Hawaii and Molokai were selected to place projects in Economic Distressed Areas.  HDOT-HWY selected projects that spanned several construction trades instead of selecting only repaving and pavement preventive maintenance projects.

Projects using ARRA funds are listed on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) website.  Revisions to the STIP provide a process for the public to review and comment.  Included in the review and comment process are Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO), Citizen’s Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and Policy Committee.  STIP revisions involve the public through revision information on the HDOT STIP website, newspaper ads publicizing the changes, and emails to interested parties, other government agencies, and interested stakeholders and partners. 

Awards

ARRA Recovery Team