Posted: Saturday, 28th February 2009 5:38AM

AUSTIN -- Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials recommended that roadway, transit, and aviation projects be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), commonly known as the economic stimulus package. Stimulus fund spending was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission today. Include in the package are some Smith County projects.

The Tyler District projects approved by the Texas Transportation Commission include projects at a total value of $25.3 million. The two Smith County projects are:
* US 69: resurface between IH20 and North Loop 323 in Tyler, $4 million;
* FM 344: add shoulders and resurface between FM 346 in Teaselville and US
69 in Bullard, $2.5 million;

Other Tyler District projects:
Gregg County
* US 259: resurface between IH20 frontage and US 80 in Longview, $3.1 million;
* US 80: resurface between Spur 63/SH 31 intersection and US 259 in Longview, $2.5 million;

Van Zandt County
* SH 243: bridge rehabilitation at Caney Creek, $250,000;
* SH 110: build turn lane at new Van school sports complex in Van, $1 million;

Wood County
* US 69: resurface between just south of US 80 in Mineola and US 69/SH 37 split in Mineola, $1.6 million;
* SH 37: resurface between US 69/SH 37 split in Mineola and North FM 564 in Mineola, $1 million;

Rusk County
* US 259: resurface between Kilgore and FM 850 in Jacobs, $4.5 million;

Anderson County
* US 84: add shoulders between FM 3266 east of Palestine and Anderson/Cherokee county line, $4.8 million

"These are all high-priority projects that were identified through cooperation with our local community leaders," said Tyler District Engineer Randy Hopmann. "We realize that there are still many more needs out there than were funded through this legislation, but this project list lets us clear some of our biggest needs off the books and helps bring those other needs closer to the starting line."