Signs Of Recovery

Blogging about her recession road trip as an Atlantic Correspondent, Christina Davidson says Sen. Tom Coburn might have a point that $300 signs at stimulus construction sites are a bit over the top:

Among other complaints, Coburn cites installation of $300 signs at construction sites, which are designed to credit stimulus spending for funding the road work.  Since state transportation departments manage their own signage, that price estimate likely refers to those being used in Oklahoma.  The sheer size of this one I saw in West Virginia makes me think it probably cost more.

In response to Coburn's criticisms, Transportation Department spokeswoman Jill Zuckman told the AP that each state decides whether or not to use stimulus money for signs.  However, based on guidelines detailed on the DoT's own website, that doesn't appear to be true...

UPDATE: The Department of Transportation called to notify me that the signs are not required, but rather strongly encouraged. The section of the Federal Transit Authority's website that Davidson later references (which says the signs are, in fact, required) is inaccurate, according to DoT, and is being changed.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/06/signs-of-recovery/19548/