The Trump administration is doling out nearly $800 million for emergency road and bridge repairs around the country, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced Thursday.
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has approved $768.2 million to help fix roads and bridges that have been damaged by storms or catastrophic events across 40 states. The money will come from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief program, which awards funds for repair work needed after major disasters.
“Transportation is a lifeline for communities struggling to recover from floods, hurricanes or other natural disasters,” Chao said in a statement Thursday. “These funds will help with long-term, permanent repairs, as well as immediate needs to reestablish the transportation networks on which families and businesses alike depend.”
Colorado will receive the largest chunk of the funding—$124 million—for widespread road and highway repairs stemming from severe flooding in 2013 and a rockslide last year. California is slated to get the next largest amount, $105 million, to fix damage from storms, rain, floods and fires over the last three years. South Carolina will receive $79 million for severe storm and hurricane repairs, while Ohio will get $61 million for landslide, heavy rain and flooding repairs, among other states.
