Walz congressional office: $7.4 Million in Funding for Flood Ravaged Roads

Just in from the Congressional office:

Walz Announces $7.4 Million in Funding for Flood Ravaged Roads

(Southeastern, MN) – Today, Congressman Tim Walz announced a federal grant of $7,461,465 for federal roads and highways damaged by flood waters in August of 2007. The following seven counties were affected by the flooding: Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Winona, and Dodge.

“The flood waters damaged more than 350 locations along federal roadways in southern Minnesota,” said Walz. “The people of southern Minnesota pay their federal taxes. It is comforting to know that we have a federal partner continuing to help us rebuild our communities. The federal government is helping to repair the roads and bridges in these counties so Minnesotans can go about their lives with the confidence that the roads they travel are safe.”

From August 18-20, 2007, a seven county area in southeastern Minnesota sustained heavy flood damage from a continuous rain event. In some locations, up to 18 inches of rain fell over a 48-hour period. A Presidential Declaration of a major disaster was announced on August 23, 2007. The Minnesota Department of Transportation identified over 350 locations of impacts on the Federal-aid system. Types of damage range from complete loss of a bridge to numerous roadbed failures, inslope and backslope failures, loss of shoulders and guardrail, culvert damage, scouring around bridge slopes, piers, and culverts across southeastern Minnesota.