U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announces $653.2M in emergency relief for road and bridge repairs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration will award $653.2 million in emergency relief funds to help 37 states, as well as Washington, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, mudslides and other unexpected events.

“This $653 million in federal funding will help communities repair their transportation infrastructure damaged by recent natural disasters,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said.

Since 2017, this administration has reimbursed states, territories, federal land management agencies and tribal governments $4.2 billion for eligible expenses associated with damage from natural disasters or other emergency situations. The funds help pay for the reconstruction or replacement of damaged highways and bridges along with the arrangement of detours and replacement of damaged safety devices.

This emergency relief funding includes awards of nearly $229 million for California for continued repairs to roads and bridges damaged by winter storms in 2017, as well as by wildfires; nearly $51 million to Puerto Rico for ongoing repairs to roads and bridges damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017; more than $38 million to Alaska for damages caused by an earthquake and floods; more than $36 million for New York, which includes funding for repairs to damage caused by severe winds and flooding; over $30 million to Iowa for damages caused by significant flooding along the Missouri River in 2019 and over $11 million for Michigan for flooding at various locations throughout the state.

“These funds are one of many ways we work to restore the nation’s damaged roads and bridges after natural disasters or other tragedies that disrupt travel,” Federal Highway Administrator Nicole R. Nason said.