State to receive $1M in federal highway repair funds

The Federal Highway Administration on Friday approved $1 million to help Missouri repair highway damages caused by statewide flooding in December.

According to a news release from the office of U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, the funds were approved the same day the senator requested approval for them from FHWA Administrator Gregory Nadeau.

In the letter, McCaskill said parts of the state received as much as 11 inches of rain in three days, causing the closure of 285 roads including Interstates 44, 55 and 70, and leading President Barack Obama to declare a state of emergency for 73 counties and the city of St. Louis.

“The quick turnaround of these federal funds that’ll go directly to Missouri’s flood recovery efforts is great news,” McCaskill said in the release. “This is just the beginning of the federal aid Missouri will need to repair flood-damaged roads but it will make a real difference in affected communities dealing with the difficult task of flood recovery.”

Three days after the federal funds were approved, Missouri Department of Transportation Southwest District Maintenance Engineer Mike Middleton said the state agency’s engineers are in the process of identifying areas in critical need of repair, but was not yet aware of which projects might receive federal funds.

In McDonald County, part of a lane on Highway UU was excavated and rebuilt due to flood damages and Highway 59 near Noel in that county remains closed, according to Middleton. Highway 123 northeast of Willard and Highway EE south of the town were the only two places where, as of last week, water was still over the road, he added.

Missouri Department of Transportation Assistant District Engineer Andy Mueller said the repair budget for damages to Highway 59 is $2 million.

“At this point, we’re planning to fund it without any federal flooding assistance,” Mueller said, noting if funds become available for the project the department would utilize them. “We could easily use that on one project or spread it out among 10, but with all of the damages that were likely to have occurred, $1 million doesn’t go very far.”

He added the district also would assess possible improvements that could be made to an area of Highway 60 located west of Rogersville, which closed due to flooding in December.

“When [Interstates] 44 and 55 went under closer to St. Louis, traffic was diverted on 60,” Mueller said. “We know where the weak link is, and it’s much more useful as a relief route to I-44 when we can keep all four lanes open.”

McCaskill also requested tax relief from the Internal Revenue Service for those affected by flooding in the form of extending tax return filing deadlines, temporarily pausing penalties and assisting Missourians with claiming disaster losses on this year’s returns, according to the release.