RALEIGH — Motorists using a stretch of NC 305 in Bertie County will soon find a smoother ride over this two-lane strip of asphalt.

On Wednesday, North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue announced that 31 contracts totaling $73 million have been awarded for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina, including 11 projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The contracts were awarded by Transportation Secretary Gene Conti to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law. “All of these projects will help generate new jobs and economic development for North Carolina, as well as improve travel throughout our state,” Perdue said.

The NC 305 project in Bertie County was among the 11 statewide to use AARA funding.

The contract for the $1.6 million project was awarded to Roberson Contracting Inc. of Williamston for milling, pavement strengthening and resurfacing on 12.5 miles of N.C. 305 from U.S. 13 in near Windsor to N.C. 11 in Aulander.

Work can begin as early as July 27, with final completion set for July 1, 2010.

This project was selected for economic recovery funding based on the following reasons: The pavement along this stretch of N.C. 305 is deteriorating. Removing the weathered asphalt and adding multiple layers of new asphalt to the road allows NCDOT to strengthen the pavement, which will extend the road’s life span and provide a smoother commute for motorists; Due to budget constraints, the department does not currently have the substantial funding required to pay for this important project. By using recovery money to fund the work, NCDOT can avoid delays and move forward with the project; and According to department data, about 2,500 vehicles travel along this stretch of N.C 305 every day.

A large number of those vehicles are heavy trucks, which can cause additional wear on the road’s surface.

Another project located in Bertie County includes replacing the existing bridge on U.S. 17 over the Cashie River in Windsor.

A contract will be awarded for this project if the low bidder demonstrates that it has met “good faith effort” requirements. According to the Federal Highway Administration, every $1 million spent on transportation creates 30 jobs. and according to the construction industry, every dollar invested in transportation generates $6 in economic impact.