The U.S. Department of Transportation has allocated $14 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds to help restore roads and bridges damaged by Hurricane Florence throughout North Carolina.
Department officials said the allocation via the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an initial installment of funds used to restore essential traffic and limit further highway damage, which can help long-term repair and recovery efforts get underway more quickly.
“I have signed off on North Carolina’s request for $14 million in immediate emergency relief funds to help address the infrastructure impact of Hurricane Florence,” Elaine L. Chao, Secretary of Transportation, said. “This Administration is committed to helping North Carolinians recover and rebuild after Hurricane Florence.”
The multi-day storm impacted many areas of the state, resulting in many closed sections of roads on the national highway system, including I-40 and I-95. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) continues to detour freight and regional travel from those Interstates because floodwaters have not yet receded.
While the damage will exceed NCDOT’s budget for emergencies on its state-maintained highway system, Quick Release of ER funds will reimburse NCDOT for its expenditures for emergency traffic operations and use of State forces and emergency contracts to repair damaged roadways.