US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced Wednesday $232.5 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help 26 states and Puerto Rico repair roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods and other unexpected events.
FHWA’s ER program reimburses states for eligible expenses associated with damage from natural disasters or other emergency situations based on their requests. The funds help to pay for the reconstruction or replacement of damaged highways and bridges along with the arrangement of detours and replacement of guardrails or other damaged safety devices.
According to Beyond Traffic, a report issued by the Department in February, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that approximately $77 billion in annual investment is needed to meet the needs of our federal-aid highway system. In addition, there are 60,000 miles of coastal roads in America that are exposed to flooding from heavy rain and storm surges. Low-lying road infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to storm surges and bridges— because they often cross or are near bodies of water— are vulnerable to storm surges.
At $55 million, Colorado topped the list among states reimbursed through the ER program –for a single flood event that caused widespread damage throughout the state, most of which is in the Boulder area.
Arizona also received $36 million for a slope failure on US 89 in Coconino County and Ohio $34 million for rock fall damages on SR 7 in Jefferson County. Both Alabama, in Baldwin and Mobile Counties, and Tennessee, south of Nashville, are repaid for repairs on two bridges on I-65 damaged by truck fires.
Delaware received funding to fix damaged piers on the I-495 bridge spanning the Christina River near the Port of Wilmington. Twenty other states received funding for extensive flooding, rainfall and other eligible events as well.