The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) has announced $705.7m in emergency funding to repair roads and bridges damaged by natural events.
The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) funds will be split across 34 states, as well as American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
USDOT says financing will go towards various relief efforts, including:
- $153m for repairs to damage caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria
- $19.5m for damage caused by Hurricane Michael’s heavy winds and storm surge flooding roadways in Florida’s Panhandle
- $12.5m for repair damage to roads and bridges from wildfires in California in 2018
- $8.65m for flood repairs in Arkansas
- $5.76m for repairs in Oregon
- $5.74 for flood work in Wisconsin
- $4.26m in flood and storm repair work in Missouri
- $1.2m to repair US Highway 550 Red Mountain Pass in southwest Colorado, after it sustained damaged from a rock slide
Brandye L. Hendrickson, Federal Highway deputy administrator, said: "These funds will help keep our country’s roads and bridges safe and well-maintained in the aftermath of the hurricanes and other severe storms seen in recent years."
Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, said: "The Department is pleased to reimburse states and territories that have made critical repairs to their transportation infrastructure following natural disasters such as wildfires, storms, and floods."
Image: Flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in East Texas (Dreamstime/Bryan Roschetzky)
