U.S. targets $232 million to repair roads, bridges damaged by natural disasters

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said $232.5 million in emergency relief funds will be available from the Federal Highway Administration to help 26 states and Puerto Rico repair roads and bridges damaged by natural disasters.

The emergency relief program reimburses local governments’ expenses associated with having to repair infrastructure damaged by storms, floods and other unexpected events. The funds help pay for rebuilding roads and bridges, replacing guardrails and other damaged safety equipment and for setting up detours while reconstruction projects are underway.

“We are committed to getting transportation facilities restored as quickly as possible following natural disasters and other emergencies,” Foxx said. “These funds will certainly repair roads and bridges, but most importantly, they are helping people who rely on them every day to arrive at their jobs and pick up their children at school.”

The Federal Highway Administration said $77 billion is needed to meet the needs of the federal aid highway system, with more than 60,000 miles of coastal roads needing repaired due to damage from and exposure to flooding and hurricanes.

Colorado is the top state to be reimbursed from a single flood event that caused widespread damage in the Boulder area. Colorado received $55 million through the emergency relief program .