Dive Brief:
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The government spent more money on roads and other infrastructure construction in the 12 months that ended in October 2014 than it did during the prior 12 months, the Census Bureau reported.
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The biggest-ticket projects involve transportation, road construction, sewers, and waste disposal plants. Spending on school construction, water projects and public safety dropped since last year.
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Most of the growth in government spending on construction was at the state and local levels, according to the Census Bureau. Federal construction spending is above its pre-recession levels but is growing slowly.
Dive Insight:
The federal government spent $31.1 billion on construction in 2010 and nearly that much in 2011—50% more than in 2007—as the Obama administration tried to stimulate the economy. But spending declined in 2012 because of budget constraints. State and local spending also declined, but has started to perk up.