Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $15,000,000 for repairs to Harlem Road Bridge located on Route 240 in Erie County. The funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make necessary improvements for bridges in high-risk flood areas.
“It is not enough to simply rebuild and repair after a significant flood; we must also prepare ourselves for the next storm and the next potential flood,” said Senator Schumer. “These much-needed federal funds will help the West Seneca community complete major upgrades on its currently flood-prone Harlem Road Bridge in order to make it more resilient in the face of future storms. Spending a penny today on flood-prevention efforts could save the federal government and local homeowners a dollar tomorrow in repair costs.”
“This is a major investment that will help strengthen critical transportation infrastructure here in West Seneca and around New York,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Our bridges are heavily traveled and we need to modernize and upgrade them. These FEMA funds help safeguard our bridges against flooding and allow for critical repairs to keep commuters and communities safe. This comprehensive project will help replace eroded and decaying bridges to keep drivers safe while taking the tax burden off of local families.”
“Improvements to the infrastructure will always have a positive return to any community. The Town of West Seneca is appreciative that funding has been dedicated to the Harlem Road Bridge,” Supervisor Sheila M. Meegan.
This funding was made available through a comprehensive project that Schumer and Gillibrand secured in 2012 to restore 106 flood-prone bridges with a focus on Western New York, Capital District, Long Island, Mid-Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions. FEMA agreed to cover 100 percent of the total project cost, valued at $518,028,780. The last three installments for New York State are expected by August 2016.
FEMA provides funding for infrastructure upgrades under Section 404 of the Stafford Act, the federal disaster law that supplies aid to states and localities to implement long-term resiliency measures after a major disaster. The purpose of these grants is to reduce the loss the life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
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