WILSONVILLE, Ore. - A sum of $340,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds will go to the City of Wilsonville for transit upgrades and improvements. The grant was announced Friday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said LaHood. “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength.  It creates jobs today and builds a better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

Funds will be used for improvements of the Wilsonville Commuter Rail Station. The station connects Wilsonville's 14,000 residents through the western suburbs to Beaverton, and vice versa.

Since President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law on Feb. 17, more than 400 grants totaling $3.8 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the nation. In spring 2009, Portland's Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet), which services the Wilsonville station, received $53.33 million of the funds in that stimulus package.

“These funds are creating jobs now while investing in the future of our transit systems,” said Administrator Peter Rogoff of the Federal Transit Administration. “The public’s demand for transit service continues to grow, and these dollars will help meet that need.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge and airport construction and repairs nationwide. Of that, $21.9 billion already has been obligated to fund more than 6,658 approved projects in 55 U.S. States and Territories.

- KATU.com Producer Jennifer Meacham contributed to this report.