Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman says the state is moving fast to spend federal stimulus dollars on roads projects he predicts will help slow the economic downturn.

The state has already advertised to contractors seven roads projects near six towns: Syracuse, Gilead, Edgar, Maxwell, Thedford and Lexington. The total cost of the projects is about $32 million and Heineman says he expects contracts will be awarded to contractors by mid-March, with construction starting soon afterward.

Heineman says he hopes to advertise $30 million to $70 million worth of roads projects every month. Many of the projects have been identified for years.

Nebraska will get about $1.15 billion from the federal stimulus package, about $216 million of it for roads.