Idaho transportation officials will receive $1.25 million from the Federal Highway Administration to assist in the repair of roads and bridges damaged by recent floods, the federal transportation agency announced this month.
The funding will target counties along the northern and central region where heavy rains that began in March caused landslides and avalanches. State Highway 5 in Benewah County was among the roadways badly hit.
Flooding carries debris down river, which causes blockages along bridges. Idaho Transportation Department indicated workers have been monitoring roadway infrastructure to ensure debris does not build up and exacerbate damages.
The aid is part of FHWA’s “quick release” emergency funds meant to help restore access to communities and freight corridors.
The “funding represents a down payment toward completing all the repairs on highways that travelers in Idaho rely upon,” acting deputy Federal Highway Administration administrator Walter “Butch” Waidelich said in a statement. “Additional resources will become available as the state continues to assess the damage.”
The state transportation department is targeting key corridors for improvement. The agency is seeking $54 million in federal freight grants to help pay for an 11-mile widening project between Caldwell and Nampa. About 80,000 vehicles travel through that corridor daily, the department indicated.
