Federal government sends North Carolina $26M for storm-related road repair
(The Center Square) – North Carolina will receive more than $26 million in federal aid to repair roads and highways damaged by storms and other natural disasters.
North Carolina is among 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that will benefit from $1.39 billion in Emergency Relief grants the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced this month it would be awarding.
“Emergency relief funding is critical to restoring vital transportation links damaged by severe weather and other unexpected events that are heavily relied upon by communities for daily travel,” Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack said in a statement.
The funding will help states recover from nearly 200 emergency events, the USDOT said. North Carolina’s allocation must be used to repair damage from Tropical Storms Zeta and Alberto, Hurricanes Florence and Dorians and other damage from heavy rains and flooding.
“The funds will help pay for the reconstruction or replacement of damaged highways and bridges along with the arrangement of detours and replacement of damaged safety devices,” the USDOT said in its Dec. 21 announcement.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Tropical Storm Zeta caused $3.9 billion in damage in the U.S. in 2020. The National Centers for Environmental Information estimated Zeta caused $550 million in damages in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Tropical Storm Alberto, which hit in 2018, reportedly caused $125 million in damage. The NOAA estimated wind and water damage caused by Hurricane Florence in 2018 totaled about $24 billion. According to Gov. Roy Cooper’s office, the hurricane caused nearly $17 billion in damages in North Carolina. Hurricane Dorian cost the U.S. $1.6 billion in 2019 with $40 million to $50 million in damages in North Carolina, according to officials.
According to the USDOT, the Emergency Relief funding “complements” the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The $1 trillion bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden in November. It includes $457 million for bridge construction and repair and 7.2 billion for roads and highways.
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