WASHINGTON — In the wake of historic rainfall and flooding in August, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) will receive $3 million in quick-release emergency funding to offset the costs of repairs of roads and bridges in the state, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced Sept. 6.
CDOT continues to assess the situation but estimates total damages in excess of $50 million.
“The emergency funding we’re sending to Connecticut will help reopen the roads and bridges people depend on each day,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are working alongside the Connecticut Department of Transportation to repair the damage caused by this historic rainfall and make our infrastructure more resilient to withstand future weather events.”
Historic rainfall occurred in western Connecticut Aug. 18-19 in the towns of Bethel, Monroe, Newtown, Oxford, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury and Woodbury, and the cities of Ansonia and Danbury. The high intensity of this rainfall caused significant flooding and damage in many locations.
The damage includes slope washouts, road collapses, bridge scour and retaining wall failures. According to state and federal agencies, substantial damage to bridges and culverts will require full replacements. On state routes, damage occurred at 18 sites, many of which include multiple locations within close proximity of one another. Emergency repairs will require the installation of temporary structures until bridges can be permanently replaced.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been in publishing for more than 30 years. You name it, Linda has written about it. She has served as an editor for a group of national do-it-yourself publications and has coordinated the real estate section of Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper, in addition to working on a variety of niche publications ranging from bridal magazines to high-school sports previews and everything in between. She is also an experienced photographer and copy editor who enjoys telling the stories of the “Knights of the Highway,” as she calls our nation’s truck drivers.
