DOT Secretary announces $410 million for road and bridge repairs

Emergency relief to repay states for damage from a variety of events

Posted December 8, 2015

On December 4, 2015, Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx announced $410 million in emergency relief funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help 33 states, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and several federal land management agencies repair roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, and other unexpected events.

The FHWA’s emergency relief 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.

At $115.5 million, Colorado topped the list among states to be reimbursed for a flood event that caused widespread damage throughout the state in September 2013, most of which is near Denver and Boulder.

New Jersey and New York together received more than $92 million for Hurricane Sandy repairs, which reflects the length and cost of repairs made since the event in 2012. Repayment for more recent events includes more than $14 million for northern California storms last February, and more than $13 million for storms and landslides in Ohio last March. South Carolina will receive nearly $10 million for October floods, and additional emergency relief funds once the state completes its ongoing damage assessments.

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