PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATIO

NBy- Alyssa Beaupre W-1

WHEN WAS IT CREATED? Created on June 16, 1933 by the

National Industrial Recovery Act.

WHAT WAS ITS PURPOSE? Congress allowed the PWA to spend $3.3 billion

dollars to spend on the construction of various projects such as schools, playgrounds, hospitals, post offices, roads, dames and bridges.

From 1933- 1939 the PWA funded more than 34,000 projects.

Provided employment and improved public welfare

WHO PARTICIPATED IN IT? Frances Perkins had suggested a public works

program. Perkins’ idea had been supported by Harold

Ickes, James Farley, and Henry Wallace.

Perkins Ickes Farley Wallace

NOTABLE CREATIONS OR PROJECTS IT WAS INVOLVED IN Construction, landscaping, paving, and

lighting on the campus of UNM (University of New Mexico)

Provided electricity to the Pennsylvania Railroad from Ney York to Washington, D.C.

Participated in the construction of Omaha, Nebraska’s Douglas Street Bridge.

HOW EFFECTIVE WAS IT? The PWA was not very effective in some

ways. It had some failures.

Quality was not the best Everyone could not afford housing Did not effectively reduce unemployment levels

But the PWA did make sure that conservation would remain as an important part of the national issues.

IS IT STILL IN USE? WHY? The PWA soon became irrelevant after

FDR started focusing on war production and forgot about his opposition on deficit spending. The PWA was abolished in mid 1941.