Congresswoman Kathy Castor hailed today the thousands and thousands of jobs created by the I-4/ Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Connector project, which is boosting the Tampa Bay area economy while helping our Port of Tampa and preserving the historic nature of Ybor City. Castor successfully advocated for $105 million in Recovery Act money to be directed to Tampa for this project.

"By connecting the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway to I-4, we are ensuring a vital economic link that will boost expansion of jobs and business at the Port of Tampa."

Castor participated in a groundbreaking ceremony today, joined by Gov.

Charlie Crist and Stephanie Kopelousos, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Funded with $105 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the connector is creating thousands of jobs in our community and supporting thousands more, according to estimates from the Florida Department of Transportation.

"To the construction workers, the utility workers and the contractors, to the nearby restaurants that get an indirect but important economic jolt, the Recovery Act is doing what it intended right here in Tampa: creating jobs,"

Castor said. "This is one of, if not the, largest infusion of Recovery Act dollars to a single project in Tampa."

Every day, truck traffic roars down the streets of the Ybor City historic district, on the way to the Port of Tampa. The windows at the Columbia Restaurant rattle. Traffic backs up on 21st and 22nd streets. Commuters have no quick, smooth link between two major arteries in our region.

"We are changing that with this construction project," Castor said. "The Port of Tampa is one of the biggest economic engines in our region, and these trucks need this smooth link as Port business grows."