CONCORD - Just two days after President Obama signed the stimulus package into law, Gov. John Lynch and Transportation Commissioner George Campbell today announced the state is sending the first transportation projects out to bid.

“The goal of the federal economic stimulus is to create jobs and get people working again. I am pleased our Department of Transportation has been able to work quickly in identifying projects that are ready to begin immediately so that we can get people working again, and improve the condition of our roads and bridges,” Gov. Lynch said.

The Department of Transportation’s is dedicating the stimulus funds to move forward with shovel-ready projects on the State’s 10-Year Plan, which has previously been approved by the Governor and Council and the legislature. About $11 million of the funds will go to support municipal projects.

The Department of Transportation began advertising for bids today on the estimated $9.5 million pavement rehabilitation project on NH Route 101 in Epping-Exeter began today. The project extends 9.5 miles from the east side of the Lamprey River Bridge in Epping to east of Exit 9 in Exeter. The Department of Transportation will begin advertising on Feb. 24th an estimated $31 million project for constructing a new northbound section of Interstate 93 in Windham, which is part of the state’s efforts to rebuild and expand Interstate-93 between Salem and Manchester.

“The timing could not be better for moving ahead with several key transportation improvement projects in New Hampshire that have been ready to go but otherwise would not have funding,” Campbell said. “This is about doing the right thing for our highways and putting people to work at jobs that are sorely needed.”

In this first round of funding, NHDOT expects to receive $129 million in federal stimulus funding for infrastructure improvements to roads and bridges. Plans are to advertise and award contracts for projects totaling half of this appropriation by the end of June. Among the other projects scheduled to be advertised in coming weeks are a section of the new Manchester Airport Access Road ($14 million), a US 4 truck detour bridge over the Connecticut River between Lebanon, and Hartford, Vt. ($4.5 million) and pavement reconstruction on Interstate-93 from Exit 30 to 32 in Woodstock-Lincoln ($7.6 million).

New Hampshire will dedicate $11 million to the State Municipal Aid Program. DOT is working with municipal officials to evaluate projects based on several criteria. To be eligible for the stimulus funds, projects must already be included in the state municipal aid program priority list, must be shovel-ready and must meet federal eligibility requirements.