December 23, 2021

Merkley, Wyden Announce $20 Million Federal Grant to Support Oregon’s Roads and Highway Recovery from Devastating 2020 Wildfires

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a $20 million grant from the Department of Transportation (DOT) heading to Oregon to assist in the roads and highway recovery efforts from 2020’s massively destructive wildfires.

“The effects of the devastating fire season in 2020 are still being felt by Oregonians all over the state,” said Merkley. “Our roads and highways connect us all, and need to be accessible to all Oregonians. I am grateful that Oregon will receive this critical funding to help communities across the state recover from damages caused by the catastrophic 2020 Labor Day wildfires.”

“Roads and highways throughout Oregon were among the significant infrastructure casualties Oregonians suffered from the fires that tore through our state in 2020,” Wyden said. “I’m glad this federal reinvestment is heading to Oregon to help with the ongoing recovery, rebuild and rebound of the roads and highways that link communities across the state.”

This $20 million grant comes from an Emergency Relief (ER) program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. The program is dedicated to the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways and roads that may have suffered serious damage as a result of natural disasters and or catastrophic failures from an external cause. These funds are intended to protect remaining roadways, and to restore and repair roadways to their pre-disaster condition.

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