On Saturday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $100 million for North Carolina’s Department of Transportation (NC DOT) to pay for emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene.
The emergency relief funding will allow NC DOT to act quickly and pay for repairs to damaged roads and bridges and other facilities. FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, tribes and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic evets. These funds are an initial installment of funds toward restoring transportation links.
“Working in close coordination with North Carolina, we are providing this initial round of funding so there’s no delay getting roads repaired and reopened, and re-establishing critical routes,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “The Biden-Harris administration will be with North Carolina every step of the way, and today’s emergency funding to help get transportation networks back up and running safely will be followed by additional federal resources.”
Officials said Buttigieg along with the White House and other government agencies have received regular briefings from USDOT operating administrations and NC Gov. Roy Cooper about the impact and response to Hurricane Helene. Between Sept. 26 and 28, Helene brought heavy rainfall, flooding, winds, and tornados to the state, leaving numerous areas with significant damage, including flash flooding, landslides, rock falls, road washouts and bridge collapses, including damage to I-40 between Knoxville and Asheville.
“It has been devastating to witness scenes of the North Carolina families, neighbors, and communities destroyed by Helene explain what it means to have access to significant aid relief slowed or even cut off,” Acting Federal Highway Administrator Kristin White said. “I am proud to say that the FHWA has been working tirelessly, shoulder-to-shoulder, alongside North Carolinians to restore community connections and support emergency response disaster recovery efforts.”