On February 17, 2009, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which designated over $48 billion to the Department of Transportation (DOT).1 This audit report represents the second product in the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) review of DOT's implementation of ARRA.2 The objective of this audit was to highlight key DOT oversight challenges--based on prior OIG reports and other agencies' relevant audit work--and identify actions DOT should take now in support of ARRA requirements.
According to the Secretary of Transportation, ARRA represents "the largest investment in America's roads, bridges, transit lines, and rail systems since the creation of the interstate highway system." Key provisions of ARRA are preserving and creating jobs, promoting economic recovery, and investing in transportation infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. In addition to providing funding for a number of existing DOT programs, ARRA directs DOT to create several new programs and establishes tight time frames for distributing and expending funds and for reporting results (for example, the number of jobs created).
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