WASHINGTON – As part of the ongoing and long-term support for communities affected by Hurricane Helene, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced the immediate availability of $352.6 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds provided through the “quick release” process for use by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service in North Carolina. This is the latest installment of funding from the Emergency Relief program in addition to $167 million provided to North Carolina and Tennessee for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
“Hurricane Helene devastated communities and cut off critical road infrastructure, and our Department is committed to helping repair and rebuild local infrastructure in order to support the impacted area’s long-term recovery,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The emergency relief funding we’re announcing today will continue this important work and provide vital aid to the communities and states that have been impacted by this disaster.”
“The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with Tennessee, North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service to ensure all roads and bridges are operational and made whole again to restore mobility for residents and businesses and support the region’s economy,” said Acting Federal Highway Deputy Administrator Gloria M. Shepherd. “The funding will go toward restoring major critical routes that the region relies upon for productivity and roads and bridges that support tourism by connecting Americans to the region’s natural resources.”
Hurricane Helene brought heavy rainfall, flooding, winds, and tornadoes that impacted the Southeast in September 2024. Damage reported across multiple states included landslides, rock falls, washouts, pipe blowouts, undermining, scour, bridge collapses, and downed trees. The damage resulting from this event has required extraordinary efforts by federal, State, local, and tribal agencies to continue to complete emergency repairs and to begin reconstructing affected facilities. Cumulative federally eligible damage estimates for this event are still being refined and are anticipated to exceed $4 billion.
Emergency Relief funds via this “quick release” will be used toward the following repair efforts:
- $250 million for North Carolina DOT to fund eligible repairs to damaged facilities including I-40.
- $70 million for Tennessee DOT to perform eligible repairs to multiple facilities including I-40 and I-26.
- $7.6 million for the U.S. Forest Service for removing downed trees, making temporary roadway repairs, and removing overhead hazards and other debris from roadways and bridges to provide safe travel along various routes in impacted National Forests.
- $25 million to support the National Park Service in making repairs along the Blue Ridge Parkway, including landslides, guardrail damage, debris removal and restoration of local access.
FHWA’s Emergency Relief funds, provided via “quick release” are an initial installment of funds toward restoring essential transportation links to states, territories, tribes, and federal land management agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events.
More information about FHWA’s Emergency Relief program can be found online at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/erelief.cfm
