The federal government on Friday, Sept. 5, made $4 million available in emergency relief funds for Louisiana and Mississippi to help pay for urgent repairs to roads and bridges damaged by floods. “We want states to get roads cleared, bridges reopened and traffic moving as quickly as possible,” said Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.
Peters said the $4 million quick release was intended to help Louisiana and Mississippi address repairs that need immediate attention, pay for debris removal and initiate repair contracts. The states will receive $3 million and $1 million, respectively.
Peters said the U.S. Department of Transportation would continue to work with officials from Louisiana and Mississippi as they evaluate the extent of road damage caused by the floods. She said more resources likely will be made available based on those evaluations.
The Federal Highway Administration’s emergency relief program provides funds to states for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. The program typically works on a reimbursable basis. These emergency relief funds are provided from the General Fund of the Treasury and not the Highway Trust Fund.
