The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced on Monday the availability of $6 million in emergency relief quick release funds for the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans).
The funding will help VTrans offset the cost of repairs for severe flooding and washouts of roads and bridges caused by Hurricanes Beryl and Debby this summer.
“The emergency funding we’re sending is helping Vermont repair its transportation network, making roadways safe for residents to travel,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This is Vermont’s fourth transportation emergency in a little over a year, and we are working with urgency both to help fix what was damaged, and more broadly, to make sure transportation infrastructure is resilient for the future.”
Emergency funds will also be used to reimburse VTrans for clearing mud and rockslides from roadways, repairing eroded shoulders and guardrails, opening plugged culverts, clearing materials from structures and addressing water runoff.
Vermont was struck with flash flooding and heavy rainfall caused by Hurricane Beryl on July 10. The flooding and rainfall lasted until Aug. 11 with the remnants of Hurricane Debby.
A preliminary damage estimate from the hurricanes is $32 million. The total estimated federal share of four emergency weather events is $206 million.
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Source: FHWA, WCAX
