- On May 4, Vice President Biden participated in a kickoff event announcing the renovation and restoration of the Wilmington Station. This project is being supported in part with ARRA resources awarded by FRA to Amtrak.
- As of May 8, FTA has awarded 5 grants for a total obligation of $48.6 million in ARRA funds. FTA is ready to obligate 38 grants pending OST and OMB clearances with a value of $492 million.
- On May 7 Secretary LaHood announced that transit projects around the country will receive $742.5 million in ARRA funds. The projects are in Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington State.
- On May 6 FTA and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) hosted an ARRA workshop in conjunction with APTA's 2009 Bus & Paratransit Conference. Thirty-five stakeholders attended the session which focused on the grant process, registration requirements and reporting results under ARRA.
- On Thursday, May 7, FTA sponsored the "A Vision for Recovery: CFO Workshop on the State of the Economy." The purpose of this workshop was to provide a forum for public sector managers to network, share ideas and develop a vision of what needs to happen to overcome the current challenges presented by the financial crisis. There were thirty-eight public sector financial managers. Secretary LaHood made the opening remarks.
- As of May 8th, the Federal Highway Administration authorized 2,926 projects in 52 states and territories totaling $10.24 billion in obligations. This accounts for 38% of total funds available.
- On May 7th, FHWA allocated $257,500 to Federal Lands Highway Division field offices for repairing National Park Service roads and bridges
- On May 7th, FHWA passed the $10 billion mark in ARRA obligations with a $3.4 million Pavement Improvement project in Clinton County, Ohio
- As of May 1, FAA has identified $1,092 million of specific Recovery Act projects (99.5 percent of the total funding). Of that amount, $1,003 million (representing 301 projects) has been through Congressional notification, and an additional $79 million is awaiting DOT processing to the Hill.
- On May 7, Secretary LaHood spoke at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association Board of Directors meeting in Washington, DC. He reported on how ARRA is helping aviation to recover as well as address economic issues of concern to general aviation.
- On May 7, Secretary LaHood addressed the Aerospace Industries Association in Williamsburg, VA regarding the role of ARRA and FAA in helping the aerospace industry.
- On May 8, Secretary LaHood was interviewed by Jeff Santos, WWZN 1510 Radio in Boston, regarding high-speed rail as part of a program on train travel to run before National Train Day on May 9.
- On May 8, Lana Hurdle and Joel Szabat, DOT TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Team chairs, were interviewed by Brett Blackledge and Matt Apuzzo of the Associated Press for an article on what the federal government is doing to require states to meet the statutory ARRA requirement to give "priority" to economically distressed areas.
- On May 8, Secretary LaHood spoke to reporters with the Christian Science Monitor at a breakfast meeting about ARRA and other topics
- Accountabilty Executive group convened the first ever joint OIG/GAO entrance meeting. The topic was the TIGER grant program. Both organizations are initiating reviews to watch over the program. GAO will likely have the first product which will critique the criteria enumerated in the "interim notice of funding availability."
- DOT continues to work with CEQ to respond to questions on DOT's submission on the NEPA status and progress of ARRA projects under Section 1609 of ARRA.
- The week of May 4th, DOT responded to approximately 33 ARRA phone and email queries a week.
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- The week of May 11, FHWA will provide $644,107 in ARRA funding to the Ramah Navajo Chapter on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. This will be the first transfer of ARRA funds directly to a Tribe. The project is for repairing and improving tribal access on 9.2 miles of Indian Roads Reservation Route 125
- Ferry Boats Grants Requests and On the Job Training/Support Services grant requests for new projects due to FHWA on May 15th.
- The final selection of staff for FHWA's National Review Teams will be made by May 15. FHWA received over 100 applications and has completed final interviews with potential candidates.
- FTA is working with APTA and the Community Transportation Association of America to host upcoming ARRA outreach sessions during their respective conferences in June.
- On May 19, Secretary LaHood will be interviewed by PBS Nightly Business Report as part of a series on reviving the U.S. economy.
- FRA continues to make progress on reviewing Amtrak projects requested to be funded by ARRA resources. Currently, there are approximately $75 million in Amtrak ARRA projects that FRA is actively reviewing. FRA hopes to have a final decision on this grouping of projects the week of May 11th. Assuming these projects are approved, FRA will have reviewed and approved approximately $1.013 billion worth of projects.
- OST continues to work with OMB on the draft solicitation for the $1.5 billion TIGER Grants program. In order to meet statutory deadline, notice must be sent to the Federal Register this week.
- On May 11, Deputy Secretary Barrett and Lana Hurdle attended a briefing on ARRA implementation hosted by the Office of the Vice President for House and Senate staff.
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