Durbin, Duckworth announce $5 million in DOT funding to repair Illinois roads damaged by flooding

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $5,004,113 in grant funding to repair roads and infrastructure across Illinois damaged by flooding and severe weather. The funding – which was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Emergency Relief (ER) and Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) programs – will support reconstruction and repair efforts in nine Illinois counties.

“Well-maintained infrastructure is critical to our economy and safety. I’m pleased that this funding will help restore highways and federal lands that have been damaged by severe weather,” Durbin said. “Senator Duckworth and I will continue fighting for investments in our transportation infrastructure that revitalizes communities and spurs growth.”

“Investments like these help make repairs to Illinois’s infrastructure and support local communities that have been devastated by extreme weather,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to serve on two committees with jurisdiction over national infrastructure projects and I look forward to continuing my work with Senator Durbin to upgrade Illinois’s transportation systems and create good-paying jobs throughout Illinois.”

Under this announcement, the following agencies will receive funding:

• The Illinois Department of Transportation will receive $1,369,251 in reimbursement funding for emergency repairs made in Alexander County during severe flooding in April and May of 2017.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will receive $1,967,431 to repair federal roads in Madison, Calhoun, Moultrie, Shelby, Clinton, and Randolph counties that were damaged by 2015-2016 winter flooding and 2017 flooding.
• The U.S. Forest Service will receive $1,667,431 to repair federal roads in Jackson and Union counties that were damaged by 2017 flooding.

DOT’s ER grant program allocates funding for repairs to Federal-aid highways and roads, roads on federal lands and tribal transportation facilities that have been damaged by natural disasters. The ERFO grant program helps with the repair or reconstruction of Federal Lands Management Agencies transportation facilities to pre-disaster conditions. Agencies awarded funds through this program are in need of assistance due to the fact that the cost of repairs from these extraordinary conditions are unusually high.

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