U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $8.9 Million in Emergency Relief Funds to Repair Damaged Transportation Facilities on Federal and Tribal Lands
FHWA 15-13 Thursday, April 18, 2013 Contact: Nancy Singer Tel: 202-366-0660
Funding Includes $1.9 Million for Hurricane Sandy Damage in New Jersey
WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that $8.9 million will be made available to repair roads and bridges on federal and tribal lands damaged during natural disasters in Arkansas, Minnesota, and New Jersey.
We stand committed to helping states restore key transportation facilities in the wake of natural disasters, Secretary LaHood said. Whether they are recovering from Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey or from floods and storms in other states, our goal is to help communities get back to normal as soon as possible.
The Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) program will provide $4.9 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the Little Rock District in Arkansas to repair several roads damaged by flooding. The roads provide access to parks, beaches and other recreation areas. ERFO will also provide the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) $2 million to construct a bridge in an area damaged by heavy rains on the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation in Minnesota.
In addition, the program will provide the National Park Service (NPS) $1.9 million for Sandy Hook, a barrier beach peninsula at the northern tip of the New Jersey shore, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. The funding builds on $28 million provided in February to New York and New Jersey for federal parks and recreation areas.
Transportation is critical to tourism and the overall economy, said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. It's about restoring transportation and making sure residents can recover from disaster in affected areas.
The ERFO program provides funding to federal agencies to repair federal roads and other facilities damaged by a natural disaster or catastrophic event. These federal agencies, such as the USACE, NPS and the BIA have ownership and maintenance responsibilities for facilities open to public travel.
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