WATERTOWN (AP) -- The state plans to spend more than $6 million in federal money to improve a road in northern New York instead of using it to study the feasibility of constructing a new interstate highway across the North Country.

Department of Transportation officials tell the Watertown Daily Times that the agency will use the $6.3 million in federal funds to make upgrades to Route 11, which connects the cities of Watertown and Plattsburgh.

The money was earmarked in 2005 for design and environmental studies for a proposed Northern Tier Expressway.

DOT officials say instead of building a new four-lane interstate highway, they favor making Route 11 into an expressway with traffic signals and roundabouts.

Some North Country officials say building a new interstate across the region would boost local economies.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)