A spending plan for federal highway stimulus money that would fund two major highway projects and a long list of local road improvements throughout the region was accepted by the SANDAG Transportation Committee on Friday morning and recommended to the Board of Directors.

“This spending plan pumps money into the local economy and creates jobs, while at the same time spreading funds throughout the county so the entire region benefits from the federal stimulus program,” said Santee City Councilmember Jack Dale, chair of Committee.

The spending plan, which is expected to create 1,500 local jobs, will be forwarded to the full SANDAG Board of Directors for consideration at its regular meeting March 27.

It is expected that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, signed into law by President Barack Obama in February, will provide the San Diego region with $127 million in highway funds. The plan accepted by the Committee calls for allocating 60 percent of the funds to highway projects and then dividing 40 percent among the 18 cities and the county. To accomplish that goal, the vast majority of the funds will be concentrated on two large highway projects, thereby freeing up other regional money for local road improvements.

The plan includes the following provisions:

* Set aside $105 million in economic stimulus funds for the widening of 5.5 miles of State Route 76 between Melrose Drive in the city of Oceanside to South Mission Road in Bonsall. Federal stimulus funding will ensure that work on the long-awaited project begins quickly. (Under the plan, construction is expected to start in late summer or early fall, approximately three months earlier than scheduled.)

* Direct $18 million in federal highway stimulus funds to the I-805 and Carroll Canyon Road widening project in the City of San Diego.

* Direct $4 million in federal highway stimulus funds to a Transportation Enhancement-eligible regional project – the Grossmont Station Pedestrian Enhancement Project.

* Reprogram approximately $49 million in local TransNet half-cent sales tax funds for distribution to all 18 cities and the county government for use on high priority local transportation projects. This will allow those projects to move forward expeditiously.

* Reprogram approximately $74 million in local TransNet half-cent sales tax and other regional funds to other TransNet Early Action projects.

* Additional stimulus funds to be distributed by the state are expected to go toward the I-805 Auxiliary Lanes project between SR 54 and E Street in Chula Vista and to complete the SR 905 freeway project connecting the Otay Mesa border crossing with I-805.