The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced the immediate availability of $3 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds to help begin repairs on flood-damaged roads and bridges in Missouri as well as federal roads in the Mark Twain National Forest and Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
Beginning on April 28, torrential rains across much of southern Missouri caused record flooding of creeks, streams and rivers. As much as 10 in. of rain fell in some areas. In the following days, intense rain moved to northern and eastern Missouri, causing flooding throughout most of the state’s 113 counties. Two Ozark County bridges on State Routes CC and PP were washed out and several major highways were closed, including I-44, I-55, US-50, US-61, US-63 and US-67.
The $3 million in “quick release” funds will be used primarily to restore emergency access and to initiate the most critical repairs in the next few weeks.
This initial installment is considered a down payment on the costs of short-term repairs now, which can help long-term repair work begin more quickly. The FHWA’s ER program provides funding for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events.
