Hutchinson ? A national association says Kansas led the nation in the percentage growth of construction employment when compare with last October.

The Associated General Contractors of America says 61,700 people were working in construction in Kansas in October. That’s a 9 percent increase over the 56,600 construction workers last October.

Ranked second and third behind Kansas were Oklahoma and Arkansas, respectively.

Ken Simonson, chief economist with the association, says in a news release that construction work is no longer “in a free fall” but still varies between states and projects.

Stan Whitley, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Transportation, says Kansas dedicated about $350 million in federal stimulus dollars to more than 80 projects. And the last of five major highway projects using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds was put under contract this spring.