TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

County's Stimulus Application Doubles

ADVERTISEMENT

By JIM KONKOLY

Highlands Today

Published: February 21, 2009

SEBRING - Some federal stimulus-package dollars will definitely flow into Highlands County for road resurfacing and sidewalk construction projects.

But how many dollars the county and the three municipalities will gain from the nationwide stimulus plan remains undetermined, according to a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT).
Highlands County officials made an application to DOT for $9.8 million in federal stimulus funding for road and sidewalk projects. The request includes projects for Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid.

On Tuesday, the Highlands County commissioners planned on asking for $4.4 million from DOT for county projects plus two sidewalk projects submitted by Avon Park.

By week's end, though, the application more than doubled with $2.6 million in stimulus-package requests added from Sebring, $1.3 million from Avon Park, and $1.2 million from Lake Placid.

The state transportation department has $1.4 billion to allocate under the federal stimulus appropriation.

Every county in the state will receive some of the funding, said Cindy Clemmons-Adente, public information officer for DOT's District One office in Bartow, which covers Highlands and 11 other counties.

"Our central office in Tallahassee is interpreting the (stimulus) bill and crunching the numbers to give us a local break out, as to what money will be released and what projects the money can be spent on," she said.

Clemmons-Adente said the federal stimulus bill "is very complex" and DOT officials are being careful to make sure allocations meet the federal guidelines.

Without a doubt, she said, the intent of the stimulus plan is for "equitable" distribution of transportation money around the state.

"It will not be one area getting a lot of the funding and other areas getting nothing," she said. "There will be something for everyone. But we don't know what that is yet."

Highlands County Engineer Ramon Gavarrete said he hopes to receive an answer from DOT on stimulus funding allocations early next week.
Highlands County has asked for stimulus funding of $3.7 million for 17 road surfacing projects, and $1.1 million for construction of sidewalks in four areas.

Sebring submitted requests through the county for $1.3 million for 23 resurfacing projects and $853,808 for 14 sidewalk construction projects.
Avon Park is seeking $751,000 for 12 road projects and $558,475 to build sidewalks in four areas.
Lake Placid applied for $391,372 for two road projects and $828,000 for two pedestrian/bike, sidewalk/trail projects.

Highlands Today reporter Jim Konkoly can be reached at 863-386-5855 or e-mail jkonkoly@highlandstoday.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT