The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that West Virginia will receive $2 million immediately in emergency relief funds to help repair roads and bridges damaged by recent floods.
“This much-needed funding will help West Virginia’s cleanup efforts and get the Mountain State back on track,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says. “Ensuring that roads and bridges are safe and accessible again must be a top priority.”
USDOT says the quick-release funding will help West Virginia pay for debris removal and initiate repair contracts. USDOT says it also will continue to work with Gov. Joe Manchin III and other West Virginia officials as they assess the damage to roads and bridges caused by the floods; additional resources may become 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 reimbursement basis. These emergency relief funds are provided from the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury and not the Highway Trust Fund.
