The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has made US$65 million available in quick release emergency relief funds for use by the US Department of Interior’s National Park Service, the Montana Department of Transportation, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation to help repair flood damage that caused the closure of Yellowstone National Park and impacted roads and bridges in Montana, Wyoming and the surrounding areas.
There will be US$60 million for the National Park Service, US$3 million for Montana DOT and US$2 million for Wyoming DOT.
“Each year Americans look forward to spending time in Yellowstone, and for the nearby communities, their tourism is a vital part of the regional economy,” said US Transportation deputy secretary Polly Trottenberg. “We’re committed to providing immediate assistance with this emergency relief funding, to get roads and bridges in Yellowstone and the surrounding area that were damaged in this recent wave of flooding fixed as quickly as possible.”
Following recent record flooding events, Yellowstone National Park has experienced multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides, road washouts and other issues. Some roads remain closed, causing long detours for residents and visitors. FHWA is coordinating with federal and state officials to assess damages and provide funding assistance through its Emergency Relief program.
FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to States, territories, tribes and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These quick release emergency relief funds are an initial instalment of funds toward restoring this essential transportation link.
Quick release funds will be used by the National Park Service to reopen roads and prevent further damage in the park, which is located largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming, extending into Montana and Idaho. Additional funds from the Emergency Relief program may be available later for repairs to Yellowstone National Park and surrounding States to ensure roads and bridges can safely and expeditiously reopen. FHWA also is providing technical assistance to the National Park Service.
