Illinois seems to have had a lot of shovels ready. Federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says Illinois’ Department of Transportation is doing more--more quickly--than any other state to put stimulus money to work.
LaHood praised Illinois’ speedy deployment of transportation stimulus funds.
LAHOOD: Illinois ranks No. 1 among all states in terms of total highway funds spent so far, with nearly 80 percent of the funds obligated state wide, 400 projects authorized, and well over 1,000 jobs created so far.
According to the state’s count, right around 1,300 jobs have been created by transportation projects paid for by Recovery Act. LaHood made his statements in Chicago yesterday, as other White House officials fanned out across the country to tout the successes of the nearly 200 day old stimulus program.