U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Monday announced the immediate availability of $1 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to stabilize and repair roads damaged by heavy rains on federal lands throughout the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia.
“Thousands of drivers use these roads each year – especially during the heavy tourism months of summer,” said Secretary Foxx. “We are committed to doing everything we can to help repair and reopen these routes quickly and safely to ensure that the people and businesses of Georgia, and nearby Tennessee, do not suffer economically.”
Heavy rains last December saturated northern Georgia, particularly in the Chattahoochee National Forest, which significantly damaged Holly Creek Road, closed access to the Lake Conasauga and Cohutta Wilderness trailheads, and caused four landslides, requiring area residents to make an hour-long detour for work or shopping. These ER funds will be released quickly for use in making repairs to the impacted roadways and reopening them to traffic.
“These Emergency Relief funds will make immediate repairs throughout the area possible,” said Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “We want to ensure that everyone in northern Georgia has access to safe roads and safe bridges – especially on these important federal lands so travel there can return to normal as soon as possible.”
These funds will help road crews begin repairs and restore traffic. This initial “quick release” payment is a first installment on the costs of other repairs once they are known. The FHWA’s ER program provides funding for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events.