DOT 156b-08
Contact: Ian Grossman, Tel.:  (202) 366-0660
October 23, 2008

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Announces $679 million
to Repair Damaged Roads and Bridges
Iowa to Receive $23 Million for May Flooding, Other Storms

CEDAR RAPIDS – The federal government is making $679 million available immediately to states across the nation to cover costs incurred to repair roads and bridges damaged by a variety of natural emergencies and catastrophic events, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced today.

“When natural disasters strike, restoring transportation is the first stop on the road to recovery,” Secretary Peters said.

Iowa is receiving $23 million in emergency relief funds, including $22.3 million to reimburse the state, counties, and cities for work to repair road and bridge damage stemming from the major Midwest flooding this May. Another $740,000 is provided for 2007 storms.

“Communities like Cedar Rapids should be able to look to the federal government as a gateway to assistance, not a roadblock of red tape. Our goal is to get communities moving again,” said U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Thomas Barrett, who toured the area with state and local officials today and pledged to help restore transportation services in the city.

Nationwide, the emergency relief funds will go to 28 states and Puerto Rico to pay for damages caused by storms, flooding, hurricanes, and other disasters. The funds will be used to reimburse states for fixing or replacing damaged highways and bridges, establishing detours, removing debris and replacing signs, lighting and guardrails.

The funds are part of the 2008 Disaster Relief and Recovery Supplemental Appropriations Act that provided additional emergency relief funds. Congress also provides an annual authorization of $100 million for the program each fiscal year. A state-by-state break down of the emergency relief funds can be accessed at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot15608chart.htm.

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