U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced on Sept. 30 that the federal government will provide $574 million in emergency relief (ER) funds to help 39 states and Puerto Rico make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, and other unexpected events.
“This $574 million in federal funding will help states repair and rebuild roads and bridges damaged from natural disasters,” said Secretary Chao.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s ER program, administered by the Federal Highway Administration, reimburses states, territories, federal land management agencies, and tribal governments for eligible expenses associated with damage from natural disasters or other emergency situations. 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.
Vermont will receive a total of $10,493,423, including $237,780 to repair from a storm on April 14, 2019 which brought snow melt, heavy rain and severe flooding. $9,511,211 of the total will be put towards damage caused by heavy rain, high winds and severe flooding on Oct. 31, 2018 and an additional $744,432 will repair flood damage from the April 15, 2019 storm.
“These funds will help reimburse states for needed repairs to vital transportation infrastructure that residents rely upon for daily travel,” said Federal Highway Administrator Nicole R. Nason.
