More Florida construction jobs could be created with help from the incoming federal administration.
It is suspected that newly-elect President Barack Obama will create a $1 trillion stimulus package to help with infrastructure. According to an article by the Tallahassee Democrat, the Florida Department of Transportation already has $7 billion of construction projects in mind that could be completed within 120 days.
If the stimulus comes into play, every $1 billion spent on infrastructure could create 28,000 jobs, meaning Florida could see a total of 196,000 new construction jobs.
“It’s great, it’s going to create jobs, there’s no doubt about it,” Kevin Thibault, assistant secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation, said in the article.
With the stimulus funding, Florida would hope to complete more than $14 million in road projects in Gadsden, Jefferson and Wakulla counties, including $7 million to resurface five miles of Highway 90. However, many of the projects the state wants to complete have to meet harsher federal guidelines for environmental permits and right-of-way acquisition.
The total cost of Florida’s projects is second only to Utah, which hopes to complete more than $10 billion worth of road projects. All of the states combined hope to complete more than 5,000 projects worth about $66 million.
“How much of that will get funded remains a mystery,” the article notes. “The stimulus package is still taking shape, and it will set the tone for the new Obama Administration’s relationship with Congress, where the reflex is to funnel as many pork-barrel projects back to home districts as possible.”