Still "a Long Road to Recovery" With County and State Road and Bridge Repairs

BEATRICE – Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts says the state will use about $25 million in federal funds to reimburse counties for flood repair to roads and bridges. Responding to a call on a statewide Nebraska Broadcasters’ Association program Monday, Ricketts says counties can be reimbursed by federal highway funds and assistance through FEMA, but the additional federal transportation funds will provide help in counties where budgets are being especially strained by spring flood damage.

Ricketts said in some counties, the damage goes beyond the entire roads budget. He says that's a reason to have funding support more immediately available to counties. The Governor pointed out counties must still spend the money for repairs up front, then be reimbursed.

Ricketts says the state is managing its own cash flow to deal with the flood damage to public facilities. That could also mean delaying work already planned before the flood damage occurred. He cited an expansion from two lanes, to four, on U.S. Highway 275, where Ricketts said a full-blown environmental impact study has been required. He said that project will be delayed for over a year. Ricketts said, "we're going to use the money earmarked for that project, to cash-flow our other projects."

The Governor says the state is looking to manage the situation as best it can, but there are a lot of repairs to be done. He says the state has about $150 to $160 million in damage to state roads. He says the state will likely have to pay for that over a multi-year period. The level of work, aside from the cost, must be managed within the level of contracting help that is readily available.

Ricketts pointed out, "there are only so many contractors we can hire, to actually execute these projects". He said the state will stick as close as possible to its schedule of work.

"We're planning on managing our way through this, just like any business or family that has unexpected expenses", Ricketts said.

Ricketts says the federal government has been very good to work with and he says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been very responsive to the state’s needs. However, he added, “it’s a long road to recovery”.

In some cases, temporary bridges will be put in place with an eye on harvest season or the new school year, before more permanent reconstruction takes place.