This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $29.4 million in “quick release” Emergency Relief funds for use by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and four U.S. Federal land management agencies. FHWA is providing $10.2 million to Caltrans to be distributed to local transportation agencies throughout the State to help repair Federal-aid highways maintained by local agencies. FHWA is also providing a total of $19.2 million to the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation in order to repair federal land areas damaged by the severe storms that led to flooding, landslides and mudslides in California. Significant damage occurred in several areas, including in Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo counties. Caltrans has assessed initial damage at 87 locations in 37 counties and assessments are ongoing.
