The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently awarded the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) $26 million in emergency relief funds to help with repairing roads and bridges damaged by recent floods.
A 1,000-year rainfall event and derecho struck Indiana from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17. In 10 hours, up to 14 inches of rain fell, overwhelming transportation infrastructure and washing out many federal-aided roadways. Debris caused widespread highway closures and bridge damage.
INDOT will use the emergency relief funds to rapidly replace the collapsed Hazel Dell Parkway bridge, in Carmel. The Parkway provides north-south access and has an annual daily traffic rate of more than 10,000. The agency also will repair multiple bridges in Wayne County and conduct repairs along Interstate 70 and State Route 38.
“The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with the Indiana Department of Transportation to speed up repairs and help ensure critical transportation is restored as soon as possible,” FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster said. “The emergency relief funding we are providing will help the state quickly fix broken transportation links so people can get back to work, run their businesses, and get back to their daily routines.”
FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding following natural disasters or catastrophic events.