KJZZ

The Obama Administration has freed up $470 million in state transportation funding. As KJZZ’s Peter O’Dowd reports, some of it could end up in Arizona.

The money is left over from stalled earmark projects from 2003 to 2006. The Obama Administration says it wants to give that money to states so they can improve transportation infrastructure. According to federal transportation figures, Arizona would receive about $6.5 million.

Arizona Department of Transportation Spokeswoman Laura Douglas says the announcement was a surprise.

"$6.5 million is a lot more than what we had yesterday. It’s extra money that we can put to use immediately, rather than sitting idle and not being used at all," Douglas said.

But state officials would have to tell the feds by Oct. 1 how they’d use the cash. The Arizona Department of Transportation says it’s looking into the issue right now.