Oregon Public Broadcasting

Thursday, Portland's regional government, Metro, picked the transportation projects that will get a slice of the federal stimulus package.

$100 million will go to repaving hundreds of roads, bike paths and sidewalks in the area. Metro counselor, Rex Burkholder, says picking projects was a rushed job.

Rex Burkholder: "We had a few weeks, and it's been since Feb. 17th to come up with a list of projects that we could get out and get people back to work -- that's really fast turn around for government, let me tell you."

Burkholder says all the work should help create about 3500 jobs.

Now, local agencies have 120 days to put the contracts out to bid; get them signed; and people working.

Portland's transit system, TriMet, will get $44 million. Wilsonville's transit system, SMART, will get about half a million dollars. The rest will be split between Metro and the Oregon Department of Transportation.