The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced the availability of $460,000 in emergency relief funds to help the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) repair highway infrastructure damaged in recent wildfires.
The DOT’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the availability of the funds on Friday, September 25th.
The hot, dry weather conditions from this year paired with strong winds in early September led to one of the fastest and largest wildfire seasons in the state’s history. The massive fires destroyed traffic-control devices, charred terrain, and caused slope destabilization, damaging various highways and road systems.
The FHWA says that these “quick release” funds are the initial installment of funds utilized to restore essential traffic and will make immediate repairs possible, preventing further damage to roads, highways, and bridges
