Lafayette County is one of several Mississippi counties that will receive a portion of $18 million from the U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration for extensive highway repairs due to flooding events in 2018 and 2019.
However, it wasn’t clear exactly how much Lafayette County will receive.
Lafayette County Emergency Management Director Steve Quarles said the funds from the FHA are likely for federal aid and state roads that were damaged; however, he is working with FEMA and local officials to hopes to get state funds for some county roads that were also damaged.
“The amount that the county has submitted for grant consideration is $110,748,” Quarles said.
The funding announced Tuesday is part of an overall emergency relief package totaling $871.2 million to help 39 states, as well as American Samoa, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods and other unexpected events.
In December 2018, Mississippi experienced extensive flooding. The significant amount of rainfall flooded many roadways, causing damage throughout the state – including in the following counties – Clarke, Covington, Forrest, Jasper, Jones, Lauderdale, Perry and Wayne.
In February 2019, flooding again caused wide-spread damage to highways in the following counties – Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Clarke. Clay, Grenada, Humphreys, Issaquena, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Rankin, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tishomingo, Tunica, Warren, Washington, Webster, Yalobusha and Yazoo.
The funds help to pay for the reconstruction or replacement of damaged highways and bridges along with the arrangement of detours and replacement of guardrails or other damaged safety devices.
“These funds will help restore the nation’s roads and bridges following severe weather events that have disrupted travel throughout the country,” said Federal Highway Administrator Nicole R. Nason.
Hottytoddy.com News Editor Alyssa Schnugg contributed to this story.
