Dive Brief:
- The U.S. DOT will provide $1.86 billion in emergency relief funding to repair roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure damaged by recent natural disasters, according to a June 18 news release.
- The funding includes more than $908 million to repair damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in September 2024. The investment brings the Federal Highway Administration’s total infrastructure commitment for Hurricane Helene damage to $3.4 billion across all impacted states, including $2.9 billion to North Carolina alone, per the release.
- The remaining funds, roughly $952 million, will go toward ongoing repairs for overall storm damage recovery across the country, the DOT said.
Dive Insight:
Southeast states are still rebuilding transportation infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Helene, one of the deadliest storms to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.
Helene first made landfall in Florida in September 2024, then ripped through Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The storm killed at least 250 people, according to a National Hurricane Center report, and caused severe damage to roads, bridges, electrical grids, cell phone towers and other public infrastructure, including water systems and rail lines.
The storm hit the western portion of North Carolina and eastern portion of Tennessee particularly hard, especially in the mountainous regions, according to the National Hurricane Center. Landslides and debris flows in the area destroyed public and private property. The storm was the most devastating natural disaster in western North Carolina’s history, the National Hurricane Center report said.
“The Federal Highway Administration will continue to work closely with states until all damaged roads and bridges are restored,” said Sean McMaster, FHWA administrator, in the release. “Getting them back up and running again is essential.”
