U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced that $98.9 million in emergency relief funds will be provided to 23 states, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and Guam to repair federal-aid roads that have been damaged as a result of flooding, storms and other natural disasters. Also included are relief funds for several disasters that damaged roads on federal lands around the country.

The $98.9 million in emergency relief funds, which are administered by the department’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), was provided in response to requests from states and other jurisdictions for help to repair federal-aid roads and bridges. FHWA division administrators in each state work closely with state and local officials to assess damage and review funding requests. FHWA money is awarded after the president or the governor issues a formal emergency proclamation and the state files a preliminary damage assessment for its highways and bridges on the federal-aid system.

The funds reimburse the state for the damage repair work that is already completed and provides funding for the remaining damage repair work to correct major or unusual damage to federal-aid highways.

Eligible repair work includes reconstructing damaged bridges and pavement surfaces, establishing detours, removing slides and debris, and replacing signs, lighting and guardrails.

The following is a list of states in the Midwest region that will receive 2003 emergency relief funds:

Michigan

Event: April 2002 Flood; Amount: $1,414,000

State Total: $1,414,000

Minnesota

Event: April 2001 Flood; Amount: $364,000

State Total: $364,000

Missouri

Event: April 2002 Flood; Amount: $1,609,000

Event: September 2001 Rt MM Bridge Failure

over I-44; Amount: $1,327,000

State Total: $2,936,000

Nebraska

Event: July 2002 Flood; Amount; $1,877,000

State Total: $1,877,000

North Dakota

Event: Spring 2001 Basin Flood; Amount: $13,000

Event: Spring 2001 Devils Lake; Amount: $5,882,000

Event: April 1999 Devils Lake; Amount: $166,000

Event: June 2000 Flood; Amount: $627,000

State Total: $6,688,000

Ohio

Event: May 2001 I-77 Failure; Amount: $1,368,000

State Total: $1,368,000

South Dakota

Event: Spring 2001 Flood; Amount: $384,000

State Total: $384,000

Region Total: $16,388,000

FLH Management Agencies

Various events; Amount: $12,050,000

Total: $12,050,000.