Cross posted from the Department of Transportation blog.
"Without the Recovery Act, we would not be here."
Those words were spoken by California Senator Barbara Boxer earlier this month as we broke ground for a new control tower at Palm Springs International Airport. The tower, which will improve safety considerably for the 71,000 takeoffs and landings each year, is one more good airport project made possible by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Senator Barbara Boxer of California attend a ground breaking cermony at Palm Springs International Airport in Palm Springs, California.
The new tower will replace a 60-foot tower built in 1967 with a 150-foot tower. Solar panels will be installed atop the structure to provide power. With an unobstructed view of the entire airport, five controllers will be able to provide safe separation for aircraft and vehicle traffic on the tarmac and in airspace within a 5-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet.
Senator Boxer said that, thanks to the Obama Administration and Congress, "We did something very important here for our community, for safety, and for jobs."
Now, the proliferation of orange cones on our nation’s highways this summer are visible signs of the Recovery Act working for America. But people might not be aware of the tremendous work the Federal Aviation Administration has done through the Recovery Act to improve our nation’s airports.
From March 23, 2009, the date FAA awarded its first ARRA grant, through last week, FAA has awarded 100% of its $1.1 billion in airport improvement funds. Construction is underway on all 362 airport improvement projects, and 239 of those projects are already substantially complete.
That means improved safety in airports across America. It also means over 3,000 jobs created or retained because of FAA-issued Recovery Act grants.
As California Representative George Miller noted recently, "Before this Congress and President Obama took decisive action, our nation was losing more than 750,000 jobs a month. It is clear that without the Recovery Act, our nation would be still dealing with an economic catastrophe."
The Recovery Act has enabled the FAA to improve runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting buildings, airport equipment, noise mitigation, runway safety areas, and security.
These projects have not only meant jobs for thousands; they have also improved service and safety at US airports for everyone.
Fonte: White House