The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the allocation of $232.5 million in emergency relief funds to 26 states and Puerto Rico for the repair of roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods and other disasters.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released the funds. Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox announced the allocation totals on Feb. 18. 

“We are committed to getting transportation facilities restored as quickly as possible following natural disasters and other emergencies,” Foxx said.

FHWA’s emergency relief program reimburses states for eligible expenses associated with damage from natural disasters or other emergency situations, based on state requests. The funds help to pay for the reconstruction or replacement of damaged highways and bridges, along with equipment set up for detours and the replacement of such items as guardrails.

The FHWA estimates that approximately $77 billion in annual investment is needed to meet the needs of the U.S. federal-aid highway system, according to a DOT report issued earlier this month.

Of special concern are 60,000 miles of coastal roads exposed to flooding from heavy rain and storm surges. Low-lying road infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to storm surges. Bridges, which often cross or stand near bodies of water, are also vulnerable. 

At $55 million, Colorado topped the list among states reimbursed through the emergency relief program. The funding need was tied to flooding that caused widespread damage throughout the state. The hardest hit area in the state was Boulder. 

Arizona received $36 million for a slope failure on US 89 in Coconino County, while Ohio drew $34 million for rock-fall damage on SR 7 in Jefferson County. 

Both Alabama (Baldwin and Mobile counties) and Tennessee (south of Nashville) were repaid for repairs on two bridges on I-65 damaged by truck fires. 

Delaware received funding to fix damaged piers on the I-495 bridge spanning the Christina River, near the Port of Wilmington. 

Twenty other states received funding for extensive flooding, rainfall and other eligible events as well.    

Emergency Relief Program Allocation

State

Event Title

Allocation

Alabama

Feb. 9, 2012 -- I-20 Sinkhole

$320,000

Alabama

Feb. 1-26, 2013 -- Severe Flooding

$1,200,000

Alabama

April 28, 2014 -- Storms and Flooding

$1,500,000

Alabama

May 22, 2014 -- Truck Crash and Fire on I-65 Bridge

$4,607,000

Alabama

July 31, 2014 -- Truck Crash/Fire on I-10 EB Bridge at Exit 30

$850,000

Arizona

Jan. 2010 -- Winter Storm

$1,000,000

Arizona

Feb. 20, 2013 -- US 89 Slope Failure

$36,000,000

Arizona

Sept. 2014 -- Rainfall and Flooding

$12,500,000

California

Feb. 2014 -- Storms

$2,765,597

California

Aug. 24, 2014 -- Napa Valley Earthquake

$4,800,000

Colorado

Sept. 11, 2013 -- Flooding

$55,000,000

Colorado

Aug. 9, 2013 -- US 24 Flood Damage

$576,159

Colorado

Jan. 2014 -- US 550 Rockfall

$850,000

Delaware

June 2014 -- I-495 Bridge Pier Damage

$4,000,000

Florida

Aug. 25, 2012 -- Tropical Storm Isaac

$900,000

Florida

April 29-30, 2014 -- Spring Flooding

$13,400,000

Idaho

July 31-Aug. 7, 2014 -- Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

$320,000

Indiana

April 2011 -- Severe Storms and Flooding

$369,603

Kentucky

June 2011 -- Storms and Flooding

$212,611

Kentucky

March 2012 -- Tornadoes and Storms

$53,342

Kentucky

April 2013 -- Storms and Flooding

$100,437

Michigan

Sept. 26, 2014 -- Pedestrian Bridge Collapse

$200,000

Montana

March 2014 -- Severe Flooding

$1,639,860

Nebraska

May 2011 -- Platte and Missouri River Flooding

$2,015,609

Nevada

Sept. 2014 -- Rainfall and Flooding

$9,144,000

New Mexico

Sept. 9, 2013 -- Flooding

$3,000,000

New Mexico

September 18, 2014 -- Severe Storms and Flooding

$530,500

New York

May 2014 -- Flooding

$1,000,000

North Dakota

May 19, 2014 -- Southern Mouse River Basin Flooding

$3,954,540

North Dakota

May 19, 2014 -- West James River Basin Flooding

$1,736,539

North Dakota

May 19, 2014 -- Divide County Basin 1 Flooding

$4,923,337

North Dakota

May 19, 2014 -- Divide County Basin 2 Flooding

$1,283,498

Ohio

Mid‐March 2011 -- Heavy Rain fall

$1,500,000

Ohio

Jan. 2012 -- ER Event in Jefferson County

$34,375,000

Oklahoma

May 24 - June 10, 2007 -- Flooding Event

$1,044,000

Oregon

Feb. 6, 2014 -- I-84 Rockslide

$750,000

Puerto Rico

May 10, 2014 -- Rio Grande Rainfall

$1,000,000

South Carolina

Aug. 6, 2013 -- Jones Mill Rd Bridge Failure

$483,412

South Dakota

June 2014 -- Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

$4,608,812

Tennessee

April 28-30, 2014 -- Storms, Landslide, and Rockslide

$825,600

Tennessee

Aug. 15, 2014 -- Tanker Truck Crash and Fire on I-65

$2,060,497

Utah

Sept. 2014 -- Rainfall and Flooding - Utah detours

$200,000

Vermont

April 23 - May 30, 2011 -- Severe Storms and Flooding

$166,000

Vermont

Aug. 27, 2011 -- Tropical Storm Irene

$4,440,000

Washington

Sept. 2013 -- Rain US 12 Slide

$230,027

Washington

March 2014 -- Abnormal Rainfall

$5,093,898

Washington

Aug. 21, 2014 -- Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

$3,527,285

Wisconsin

June 2012 -- NW Wisconsin Flooding Event

$1,200,000

Wisconsin

Sept. 25, 2013 -- I-43 Leo Frigo Bridge Pier Failure

$200,000

Total

$232,457,163

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation.