State To Provide Emergency Funds for Flood-Damaged Roads

Press Release

State To Provide Emergency Funds for Flood-Damaged Roads

Gov. Mike Rounds announced Friday that the state will provide up to $10 million to help counties and townships make emergency, temporary repairs to critical-access roads damaged by spring flooding.

The funds will be initially used in five counties with the most severe need for road repairs.

Brown, Marshall, Roberts, Day and Spink counties are expected to qualify for immediate help because of the extent of flooding and damage to roads. Other counties may also qualify as they assess and report damage estimates to the state Office of Emergency Management.

The goal is to temporarily repair roads for emergency use, not to make permanent repairs at this time, the Governor said. He compared the initiative to the operating plans utility companies use after a blizzard.

"They first concentrate on restoring power where it's most critically needed. That's the approach we're taking," the Governor said. "This initiative won't provide an accessible road to everybody's front door. But by working with local officials to identify critical-access roads, we can help with emergency stabilization projects.''

The emergency funding is something state government has not done before. It is being done because of the magnitude of the flood damage this spring, Gov. Rounds said.

"We are authorizing these temporary repairs because emergency access is critical to citizens in areas where roads are flooded," the Governor said. "We have citizens who are literally cut off from emergency services. If they need an ambulance or fire truck, there may be no way to reach them. We want to stabilize enough roads to provide that access in those areas.''

The $10 million in road-repair money will come from the state emergency fund. In addition to the money, the state will provide technical expertise and coordinate with contractors to speed the road repair process.

Emergency road repairs covered by the new state government initiative are expected to begin within the next several days.

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