Feds sending North Carolina $100M in emergency funds to repair roads, bridges damaged by Hurricane Helene

Federal financial aid is on the way to help repair the devastation Hurricane Helene brought to roads and bridges in North Carolina. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is making $100 million in emergency relief funding available immediately for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to cover the cost of work to repair flood damage from Helene. 

The deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, Helene has claimed over 220 lives since it made landfall as Category 4 storm on Sept. 26. 116 deaths have been reported in North Carolina, CBS News reports. 

Western North Carolina was especially hard-hit as Helene moved inland, with significant damage to roadways from flash flooding, landslides, road washouts and bridge collapses. That includes part of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee border that has been closed indefinitely due to major damage to the highway. 

The area has been deemed “essential travel only” by NCDOT in order to help crews on the ground manage relief efforts. 

“It has been devastating to witness scenes of the North Carolina families, neighbors, and communities destroyed by Helene explain what it means to have access to significant aid relief slowed or even cut off,” says Acting Federal Highway Administrator Kristin White. “I am proud to say that the FHWA has been working tirelessly, shoulder-to-shoulder, alongside North Carolinians to restore community connections and support emergency response disaster recovery efforts.” 

These emergency relief funds were requested by North Carolina and approved by FHWA. The emergency relief program provides funding to states, territories, tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events.  

These funds have been provided through the “quick release” process and represent an initial installment of funding toward restoring this essential transportation link.  

Additional funds needed to repair damage in North Carolina will be supported by the emergency relief program through nationwide funding allocations.    

Photo courtesy NCDOTcommunications