Washington, D.C.— Arizona will get a share of $679 million made available by the U.S. Department of Transportation in October 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.
Arizona will receive $26.7 million to address the affects of three events: January 2005 flooding, $10 million; July–August 2006 flooding, $11.7 million; March 21, 2008, SR 97 landslide, $5 million.
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.
