Recovery Act-funded work on city streets, curbs is out for bid

Mayor Michael Nutter announced today that the City of Philadelphia has advertised its first Streets Department project funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

The City has advertised for competitive bids on the milling and resurfacing of about 23 miles of streets throughout the city, and work that would either replace or upgrade 1,500 curbs to current Americans With Disabilities Act standards.  In a press statement, city officials said the project can be expected to create 160 jobs, based on federal estimates.  

“Philadelphia is open for Reinvestment and Recovery Act business,” Nutter said. “The investment in our City streets that we advertise today will create jobs and literally build a better Philadelphia.”

Construction funding is a combination of $12.7 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds (100% federal) and $2 million of previously programmed Federal and City funds (80% federal 20% city).

Another similar ARRA funded project will be put out for bids later this summer. These projects were selected because they meet criteria for investment on federal aid roads and the stringent ready-to-go standards set out by the Act.
Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilties Rina Cutler noted that this project could not be initiated this year without the passage of the ARRA and will be in addition to the Streets Department previously scheduled paving program. Shovels will be in ground to work on ADA ramps late this summer and paving will occur next spring. In total the City of Philadelphia will be repaving approximately 110 miles of streets between April and December 2009.

Learn more about the City’s recovery act projects and see bid and proposal requests here.