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You thought your economic stimulus check would be burning a hole in your pocket — paying off your credit card, or treating you to something special you've been waiting a long time to buy.

Too bad, because you've probably already spent it on gasoline.

Since the stimulus checks were authorized, the typical Arizona family already has pumped the same amount of money into its gas tank as it received from Uncle Sam, according to Arizona Public Interest Research Group.

That's $1,500 on gas for a family of three in Arizona since late February.

That's crazy.

It sounds like the stimulus checks did a great job of stimulating the oil industry.

In February, when President Bush authorized the stimulus checks, the average American family of three was spending about $60 a week on gasoline. Now it's spending $100 a week, according to Arizona PIRG.

Oh sure, people would be buying fuel regardless of the economic stimulus checks (and apparently regardless of how high the prices get). But it's shocking to realize that the average Arizona family of three already has spent its check on fuel — and spent it long before the check ever showed up in the mailbox for many of us.

The amount spent on transportation gets higher when less public transit is available, which is why Arizona PIRG is pushing Congress to fund transit, to get people out of their cars and save them some money.

The House of Representatives approved a bill last week that would give the Tucson area another $4 million to spend on expanding transit routes.

I agree that transit funding needs to expand. When it comes to transit in Tucson, one consistent theme I hear is that people want more routes in more places.

Even though the Regional Transportation Plan already has paid for an expansion of some Sun Tran routes to run later at night and on weekends, and will pay for a high-capacity streetcar between the University of Arizona and Downtown, the call will be the same after construction is finished: Expand the route so more people can take advantage.

But without a federal transit "stimulus check" for the local governments, they won't be able to afford expansion after expansion with their shrinking gasoline-tax revenues.

We all know that Uncle Sam isn't getting ready to send us another check just because gas prices remain high, so we either inhale more gas fumes to ignore our pain at the pump or find a way to make our existing transit system work for more people.

Question: "I had a question regarding the speed limit when heading west on Interstate 10. The limit changed to 75 mph after you crossed over the Cortaro bridge at Mile 246 westbound. A few weeks ago, I noticed the speed limit sign was bent. Now the sign is completely gone. The first 75 mph sign is not until after Avra Valley. Do I go by the posted speed limit with these changes, or should I drive 75 mph where I knew the sign used to be? Is there a protocol to change the speed limit, or does the city have to replace this sign that was once bent?" wrote Matt and Danielle Van Derlaske

Answer: Drivers are supposed to go the posted speed limit, and until the 75 mph sign is replaced, the posted limit is whatever the last sign said, presumably 65 mph.

"You cannot legally accelerate to 75 mph until you encounter a sign posting a 75 mph speed limit," said Linda Ritter, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The department is putting up a new 75 mph sign where the old one used to be, she said.

Road Runner