U.S. Department of Transportation Provides $1.2 Million to the Flight 93 Memorial Project |
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Topics: Victor Mendez
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Federal Highway Administration
27 September 2012
FHWA 44-12
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Contact: Kelly Dollinger
Tel: 202-366-0660
Additional Funds Will Finish a Critical Access Road at Memorial Site
WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today awarded $1.2 million to the National Park Service (NPS) to complete road work that provides access to the Flight 93 Memorial for 9/11 victims in Shanksville, Pa.
"We are committed to helping make this a lasting memorial to the heroes of Flight 93," said Secretary LaHood. "This funding will ensure that generations of Americans will have access to this important site where they can pay their respects to those who died on September 11th."
The Secretary visited the memorial on September 11 this year with Vice President Biden and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. During that visit, Secretary LaHood met with officials from the Flight 93 National Memorial and the National Park Foundation who described a need for additional funding in order to complete the access road.
"I am very proud that we were able to find the funds to help this critical and historic project," said Secretary LaHood.
The funds will be used to build the 1.2 mile return road that an anticipated 300,000 to 400,000 visitors will use annually to travel through the memorial. Funding is provided from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Public Lands Highway Discretionary Program. The program provides funding for transportation planning, research, engineering and construction of roadways on federal public lands.
This summer, the department awarded $3 million to construct an 800-foot pedestrian bridge over the existing wetlands at the memorial, connecting the visitor center with the memorial plaza and crash site. Both projects will contribute to the estimated $70 million park development project.
"For years to come, we want visitors to be able to safely access and travel to and from this memorial," said FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez. "The commitments of the Federal Highway Administration and the National Park Service will allow that to happen sooner."