U.S. Department of Transportation Provides $3 Million to Repair Roads and Bridges Damaged by Flooding
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “the emergency funding we’re sending to Connecticut will help reopen the roads and bridges people depend on each day,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are working alongside the Connecticut Department of Transportation to repair the damage caused by this historic rainfall and make our infrastructure more resilient to withstand future weather events.”
“The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to repair the damage caused by extensive flooding and provide the state with the resources it needs,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “The Emergency Relief funding we are providing will help expedite repairs on essential roads to allow residents, workers and businesses to get back to their normal routines.”
On August 18 and 19, 2024, historic rainfall occurred in western Connecticut in the towns of Bethel, Monroe, Newtown, Oxford, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury, Woodbury, and the cities of Ansonia and Danbury. The high intensity of this rainfall caused significant flooding and damage in many locations.
The damage includes slope washouts, road collapses, bridge scour, and retaining wall failures. Substantial damage to bridges and culverts will require full replacements. On state routes, damage occurred at 18 sites, many of which include multiple locations within close proximity of one another. Emergency repairs will require the installation of temporary structures until bridges can be permanently replaced. The Connecticut DOT is continuing damage assessments with total damage currently estimated to exceed $50 million. The Emergency Relief funding announced today will allow CTDOT to proceed expeditiously with initial repairs.
FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to States, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These “quick release” Emergency Relief funds are an initial installment of funds toward restoring this essential transportation link. Additional funds needed to repair damage in Connecticut will be supported by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations.
The FHWA Emergency Relief program complements Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and provisions by encouraging agencies to identify and implement measures to incorporate resilience in the design, restoration, and repair of damaged infrastructure, to better withstand future damage from climate change and future weather events.