In a plain conference room, on the 11th floor of SEPTA headquarters, about two dozen people sat quietly Friday morning, to hear SEPTA officials talk about the renovation of the R5 North Wales train station.
It sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Except that these people like to do just that. They are all contractors, and they are all here because they're trying to find a way to put people back to work.
The contractors are each hoping to get a small piece of the $191 million in economic stimulus money that will flow from Washington to SEPTA.
"It's been pretty scarce," says John Milano, of Bala Cynwyd's Murphy Quigley Construction. But now, thanks to stimulus money SEPTA is getting, he plans to bid for work on at least four upcoming SEPTA construction projects.
"It's a lot of work for us right now," Milano says. "It depends on the amount of jobs we get but it could put 50 people back to work."
And that's just from one medium-sized construction company.
SEPTA says the 27 projects it will complete with stimulus money could create nearly 6,000 jobs across the five-county Philadelphia region.
"This is doubling our capital program in a very short time," says Bob Lund, project manager for SEPTA's stimulus-related work. "We estimate 1,915 construction jobs will be created."
The projects range in size and location but all are supposed to create jobs in construction, manufacturing, supply or support.
There's $37 million for the renovation of the Spring Garden and Girard stations on the Broad Street subway.
Another $18.5 million so SEPTA can purchase 40 new hybrid buses.
There will be regional rail bridge work and station upgrades across the system.
And even an overhaul of the bathrooms at the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby.
That's a project Milano plans to bid on.
"It puts people back to work. Gets money spent in the economy," Milano says. "Some of the jobs are half a year, a year, two years. It could go on for the next couple of years."
And where jobs are not created, some may be saved.
"It's a great opportunity to keep your company going, keep your people working," says Chris Gillis, a minority contractor from Camden. The program requires certain participation from minority- and women-owned businesses.
"Everyone is sort of running scared. Projects seem to be put on hold at this point," Gillis says. A few weeks ago, he was worried he'd have to lay off employees but not anymore.
"SEPTA was a godsend with projects with the stimulus package."
