News

Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that 31 contracts totaling $73 million have been awarded for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina, including 11 projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The contracts were awarded by Transportation Secretary Gene Conti to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law. A list of the projects is attached.

“All of these projects will help generate new jobs and economic development for North Carolina, as well as improve travel throughout our state,” Perdue said.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, every $1 million spent on transportation creates 30 jobs, and according to the construction industry, every dollar invested in transportation generates $6 in economic impact.

The 11 recovery projects awarded are located in Bertie, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Lee, Stokes, Transylvania and Watauga counties. The 20 other projects awarded are located in Anson, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Catawba Cumberland, Granville, Henderson, Iredell, Lincoln, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, New Hanover, Polk, Sampson, Stanly, Transylvania, Warren and Yancey counties. Work on all contracts will start in July (see attached list for respective start dates).

Five additional projects let to contract in June will be awarded if the low bidder demonstrates that it has met “good faith effort” requirements in attempting to reach the disadvantaged business enterprise goals set forth in the contracts. One project that was advertised for bid as a potential cluster project (two separate projects that could be bid as one) will not be awarded since the bids received on the individual projects were lower than the cluster bid. The bids received on all 37 projects advertised came in more than 22 percent, about $35.8 million, below NCDOT estimates.

For more information about funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other NCDOT projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.