Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Federal Stimulus

Less Than One Percent of Transpo Stimulus Money Paid Out So Far

The New York Times reports this morning that the Obama administration's $787 billion economic stimulus package has hit a few snags:

Some states and cities are beginning to complain that the money has yetto reach them. Others have been slow to get their paperwork toWashington; Virginia has yet to send the Transportation Department itslist of road projects.

The article credits the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) for allocating $10.5 billion -- nearly one-quarter of its $48 billion slice of the stimulus pie -- but only about $34 million of that, or 0.07 percent, has been paid out so far. Two-thirds of the $34 million came in the form of a grant to Amtrak.

Those numbers stand in contrast to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's claim yesterday in a speech to the National Retail Federation that "nearly all"
of his department's stimulus money has been disbursed.

The Times' evaluation comes a bit early in the game, given that the stimulus bill became law less than three months ago. Most economists have pointed to 18 months as the window in which the money should be spent in order to maximize its economic impact; even using that far-off marker, however, the current rate of stimulus spending is falling short.

Nevertheless, the administration is preparing to tout its progress on spending the money. Vice President Joe Biden will submit a quarterly report to the president today that credits the economic recovery effort with saving or creating 150,000 jobs.

Though that may not yet be the case, the DOT reports that more than 2,000 transit projects have been identified for funding. And the $8 billion set aside for transit, while far less than what was truly needed, is starting to be spent on projects in cities such as Seattle, Denver, and Phoenix.

You can view the AP's interactive map of local transportation projects receiving stimulus cash right here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

America’s Kids Deserve Better Than a Waymo Subscription

What do America's young people lose when they have to buy independence from a corporation that rents out driverless cars?

July 15, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines Aren’t Falling Fast Enough

Pedestrian deaths dropped by 4 percent last year, but remain well above pre-pandemic figures.

July 15, 2025

Monday’s Headlines Are Dragging Their Feet

The Trump administration claims the Biden administration left them with a backlog — but they've actually been far slower at getting transportation money to states than their predecessors, a new analysis finds.

July 14, 2025

These U.S. Communities’ So-Called ‘Complete Streets’ Policies Don’t Even Deserve the Name

Any city can call itself a "Complete Streets" champion. But not all of them are walking the walk — and if they don't, a top organization says they'll no longer give them a platform on its esteemed "best of" ranking.

July 14, 2025

Communities Rally To Reclaim Streets From ICE Terror

"This is an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on California. On all of us."

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: The London Neighborhood Where Bikes Outnumber Cars

...and how they got to that impressive milestone.

July 11, 2025
See all posts