Stimulus Report Card: Some Hits, Some Misses

President Obama declared last month that his $787 billion stimulus bill was "starting to work," citing the funding of roughly 2,000 transportation projects that will help create or save 150,000 jobs from New Jersey to California by the end of next year.

In all, President Obama has said the recovery plan will lead to the creation or salvation of more than 3 million jobs "all across the country" and jumpstart the economy.

Other impacts of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act include the $49 billion worth of recovery dollars starting to flow into states this year, with roughly two-thirds of that figure to be used to fund Medicaid programs for the poor and disabled.

But despite all the efforts to ensure transparency and to avoid pork spending, money has been allotted to fund some questionable projects, including more than $11 million for improvements at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington and $167 million to preserve coral reefs and natural habitats for salmon and sea turtles.

Nearly three months after the stimulus was signed, FOXNews.com takes a look at some of the "best" and "worst" stimulus projects:

WORST

-- Pawtucket, R.I., a city facing a reported $10 million budget deficit, will use $550,000 in federal stimulus money to build an outdoor skateboarding park and to renovate tennis and basketball courts at Jenks Junior High School. Michael Cassidy, the city's planning director, estimated that up to 40 jobs would be created during the project. As part of the federal Community Development Block Program, Cassidy said only 1 percent of stimulus funds can be used for administration, translating to a larger amount spent on construction projects. "I can't use it to pay for police or fire," he told the Providence Journal

-- After initially calling for $6.6 million to lease and operate a police helicopter in Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Adrian Garcia recently scaled back the proposal to $1.7 million. According to the Houston Chronicle, which obtained an outline of the proposal, the reduced plan will provide Garcia a chance to assess the aircraft's ongoing costs. The outline, however, did not include how often the helicopter would be utilized or how it would be used, the Chronicle reported.

-- A proposed list of "shovel-ready" projects in Montana includes, among others, $3.43 million for new skylights, new purge monitors and other improvements at a state-run liquor warehouse in Helena for cost-cutting energy improvements. "This is Montana's best effort to be ready to take full advantage of every federal dollar that may come our way," Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said in a January letter. Schweitzer is seeking to cut state government energy use by 20 percent by next year.

-- While announcing more than $81 million in federal funding to transportation projects statewide, including $34 million in stimulus funds, New York Gov. David Paterson said $3.8 million would go to extend ArtWalk, the city of Rochester's outdoor museum and art trail, according to its Web site. "Building and improving sidewalks, bike paths and pedestrian walkways will put thousands of New Yorkers to work, even while it creates more walkable communities," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said in a statement. "These projects, which were made possible by the Economic Recovery Act, will both beautify our neighborhoods, spur commerce and job creation and allow us to better interact with our neighbors and surroundings."

-- In Missouri, where Gov. Jay Nixon wants to spend $62 million on public water and sewer systems and roughly $31 million for job training programs, $500,000 of federal stimulus money is earmarked to defray feed costs for state fish farmers.

BEST

-- In Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick allocated $162 million in federal education recovery funds to restore planned cuts and avert layoffs at state and community colleges, including the University of Massachusetts. The federal funds will also allow the University of Massachusetts to refund the $1,500 fee increase announced in February. "Federal recovery funds will help our public colleges and universities prepare our students for success after graduation, giving the commonwealth a highly-skilled workforce to compete in a 21st century global economy," Patrick said.

-- Eligible veterans in Rhode Island will receive a one-time payment of $250 as part of millions to upgrade the state's veterans facilities, including $11 million to upgrade energy efficiency at the 60-year-old Providence VA Medical Center. In Bristol, $1.2 million will go to general renovations of the dilapidated Rhode Island Veterans Home. "For veterans stretching their budgets in this tough economy, every dollar counts -- and this extra help from the federal government could make the difference between housing and homelessness, and between health and sickness," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said in a statement.

-- Among a dizzying number of transportation projects to upgrade the country's aging highways, Michigan officials will use $56 million to widen Interstate 94 in Kalamazoo County, and Texas will see $50 million of its federal stimulus funds go to build a new four-lane expressway in Brook County. Ohio's Department of Transportation will invest $603 million into 113 separate roadway projects, including 30 on bridge improvements. "Without the leadership of President Obama and the members of Ohio's Congressional Delegation who supported this bill, we would not have this unprecedented opportunity to invest in Ohio's infrastructure," Gov. Ted Strickland said in a statement.

-- As part of $3 billion in stimulus funds to be used by the Interior Department, projects totaling $750 million were announced last month by Secretary Ken Salazar, including $54.7 million to remove the Elwha Dam and other restorations at Olympia National Park in Washington. Another $30 million will go to repair the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, and $13.1 million is earmarked to demolish and replace condemned portions of the Dinosaur National Monument in Utah. "By investing $750 million to restore and protect America's most special places, we are creating a new legacy of stewardship for our national park system while helping our economy stand up again," Salazar said. "These projects -- at places like Ellis Island in New York and Dinosaur National Monument in Utah -- are ready to go and will create jobs in communities across the country."

-- To accelerate environmental cleanup in 12 states, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $6 billion in new stimulus funding in late March, including $755 million to demolish the remaining uranium enrichment plants and other processing buildings from the Manhattan Project at Oak Ride National Laboratory in Tennessee. Other projects in states like South Carolina, Idaho and New Mexico will be used to clean soil and/or groundwater and to demolish former nuclear weapons complex facilities. "These investments will put Americans to work while cleaning up contamination from the Cold War era," Chu said. "It reflects our commitment to future generations as well as to help local economies get moving again."