Stimulus projects restore some lost jobs

By Thomas V. Bona

BusinessRockford.com

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ROCKFORD — The federal stimulus package put John Viveros back to work.

A construction worker without anything to build, he didn’t have a steady job from December until May. He kept busy with the occasional odd job, but nothing like the 60-hour work weeks he was used to.

“I was getting anxious because I like to work,” said Viveros, a Rockford resident and member of Laborers Local 32. “I took anything that came up. I had to do something.”

Then, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act brought about $6 million in road work to Winnebago and Boone counties. Since May, those projects have provided 21,000 hours of work — the equivalent of more than 40 full-time jobs, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“What they did generated work hours in the area that we wouldn’t have had,” said Tom Dal Santo, businesses manager for Laborers Local 32 in Rockford. “Those people are getting back to work, spending more money, putting money in the bank.”

Dal Santo estimates that as many as 30 members of his local went from no work to getting at least some because of the stimulus. Others increased their workload.

A typical road construction worker makes $27 to $30 an hour, plus another $20 an hour in pension, benefits and training, Dal Santo said. They work 45 to 50 hours a week on a project, but since they’re limited by construction season and demand, they don’t get those hours or wages year-round.

The stimulus projects have resurfaced stretches of Illinois 2, Illinois 251 and State Street through downtown Rockford, Illinois 251 in Loves Park and U.S. 20 in eastern Boone County. William Charles Construction of Loves Park got most of the work, though Rock Road Cos. of Janesville, Wis., got the Illinois 2 project.

“We would have had some major holes in our schedule, and it definitely helped,” said Rock Road Vice President Robert Kennedy, whose company also got some stimulus projects in Wisconsin.

There might be some more work on the way. Those projects came in around $300,000 less than estimated, according to IDOT data.

Statewide, stimulus projects came in almost $100 million under estimate, including $40 million outside Chicagoland, said Dick Smith, IDOT’s director of planning and programming. Those savings will turn into other projects to be awarded this fall and next spring.

Also, in the next year, an additional $10 million in local road work in Boone and Winnebago counties will start because of the stimulus.

Local construction industry officials don’t see the stimulus as the answer to the downturn in work, but they are a needed bridge until other projects come along.

“In some ways, it was a tourniquet. There was still bleeding going on, but it helped us,” said Glen Turpoff, executive director of the Northern Illinois Building Contractors Association. “It stemmed the loss.”

Since the stimulus was signed, the state passed a capital construction plan that includes $400 million over the next few years for Winnebago County. Turpoff thinks the stimulus helped encourage Illinois legislators to pass their own plan.

Meanwhile, some private sector projects may be started soon, which will further boost construction jobs, he said. While he doesn’t have specific numbers, he said his organization’s blueprint room has gone from “a desert island” to “some life.”

“Companies who are thinking of doing things are approaching it very slowly and cautiously,” Turpoff said. “But at least they’re approaching it.”

Viveros, the construction worker, is one of several people who are raising more than 200 manholes along the resurfaced stretch of Illinois 2 in downtown Rockford.

He looks forward to other work — building projects, utility pipelines and other roads. But he said he and his co-workers are glad the stimulus package gave them something to do in the meantime.

Staff writer Thomas V. Bona may be contacted at 815-987-1343 or tbona@rrstar.com.

Stimulus jobs created

The number of full-time equivalent jobs and work hours created from May through last week by the major road projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

Illinois 251 (North Second Street) between Windsor and Roosevelt roads, Machesney Park: 14 jobs, 7,065 hours.

U.S. 20 between Farmington Way in Belvidere and McHenry County line: 12 jobs, 6,458 hours.

Illinois 2 (Main and Church streets) between John and Cedar streets, Rockford: Seven jobs, 3,513 hours (project still going).

Illinois 251 (Kishwaukee, North Second and North Third streets) between Walnut and Whitman streets, Rockford: Six jobs, 3,069 hours.

Business U.S. 20 (Jefferson Street and Kilburn Avenue) between East State and Mulberry streets, Rockford: Three jobs, 1,385 hours.

Source: Illinois Department of Transportation

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