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$215M Relief Aid Set for Roads, Bridges

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

More items for Program/Project Management

The federal government will release more than $215 million to repair roads and bridges ravaged from Alaska to Puerto Rico by the year’s natural disasters.

The Department of Transportation announced Monday (Nov. 28) that it would distribute the funds to 37 states and territories as reimbursement for emergency relief efforts.

Josh Compton / iReport

Vermont’s bridges were devastated by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene. The Quechee Covered Bridge was among those that took a direct hit. The state will receive more than $14 million in emergency relief reimbursement aid.

“Communities suffering from disasters have been hard at work restoring vital transportation links so that people can resume daily activities as soon as possible,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

“They did their part, and now it’s our turn to give the states the money they were promised to help pay for that work.”

Floods, Earthquakes, Hurricanes

From nuclear reactors and monuments shaken by the East Coast Earthquake to highways and bridges battered by record heat and hurricanes, the nation’s infrastructure has taken a pounding this year, leaving widespread devastation and busting maintenance and repair budgets from coast to coast.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) said it would provide a total of $215,198,775 from its emergency relief program to 34 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and federal lands agencies to reimburse them for some of those repairs.

The money will reimburse states for fixing or replacing highways, bridges and other roadway structures. Costs associated with detours, debris removal and other immediate measures necessary to restore traffic flow in impacted areas are also eligible.

“States and communities can continue counting on our support in times of need,” said FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez. “Everyone pulls together when disaster strikes, and we are committed to help as much as we can now and in the future.”

Aid Recipients

California will be the largest recipient, slated for $43.4 million to repair damage wrought by flooding and earthquakes. North Dakota will receive $31.5 million for flooding in the Devil’s Lake region, and Vermont will receive $15.4 million for flooding and damage from Tropical Storm/Hurricane Irene.

New York and New Jersey will each receive more than $10 million for damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

The full list of recipients follows.

Comment from Tom Schwerdt, (11/30/2011, 9:51 AM)

Just a LITTLE bias in how that money is being spread around. Notice California getting 20% of all the funding, and is the only funding for disasters before 2005. No, they ALSO need funding for disasters in 2004, 2002, 1998, 1993 and the no-date "Devils Slide." I'm guessing even the politicians had a hard time writing down "disaster relief" for landslides dating back to 1940! If we are already going back that far, how about the Galveston Hurricane of 1900? Or the Great Chicago Fire of 1871?