US government sets aside $749 million for natural disaster road and bridge repairs

Flooded roads in Orlando, Florida after Hurrican Ian in 2022 (Image: Mickey via AdobeStock - stock.adobe.com)

The US Department of Transportation will provide $749 million in Emergency Relief Program funds to repair roads and bridges damaged by natural disasters and catastrophic events.

A total of 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will share the funding through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program.

Natural disasters and catastrophic events often require years-long recoveries.

The majority of FHWA’s Emergency Relief funding goes toward reimbursement for states, territories, federal land management agencies, and Tribal governments to fix and restore roads and bridges in the aftermath of wildfires, hurricanes, flooding and other weather-related events.

That includes damage from events like Hurricane Ian in Florida in 2022, rainstorms and wildfires throughout California, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and flooding in and around Yellowstone Park in 2022.

The emergency relief funding package also continues to include funding for repairs to the pedestrian bridge in Washington, D.C., over Route 295 that collapsed when a truck hit the bridge in June 2021.

A listing of FY 2023 Emergency Relief Program allocations with funding information for each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico can be found here.