U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces $2.5 Million in Grant for Hawaii Highway Repair

Topics:  Ray LaHood

Federal Highway Administration
17 August 2011

FHWA 37-11
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Contact: Doug Hecox
Tel: 202-366-0660

Funds will help create jobs by funding temporary repairs to landslide-damaged road

WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a $2.5 million grant to fund temporary repairs to Kolekole Pass Road, which has been closed to traffic for three years.

Heavy rains led to a massive landslide in 2008, followed by erosion, closing the road near Pearl Harbor. The temporary 120-foot-long panel bridge will allow a single lane of the road to open to traffic at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Lualualei Annex.

"Transportation investments like this one will create jobs and improve quality of life for Hawaii's residents as well as strengthen the state's economy," said Secretary LaHood. "The demand from the states for these funds shows just how critical the need is for infrastructure investment."

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invited states to apply in June for federal funding from 14 grant programs. Requests poured in from every state, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. - more than 1,800 applications, totaling nearly $13 billion, which is more than 30 times the funds available.

"At a time when states are facing serious budgetary constraints, these grants will help fill a critical need," said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. "Investments like this one are immediate and long-lasting, and will help create jobs."

Congress created the discretionary grant programs to give FHWA the latitude to support projects that maintain the nation's roads and bridges, improve roadway safety and make communities more livable. In previous years, Congress designated some funding for these grant programs and FHWA awarded the remainder through a competitive process. Because the FY11 budget passed by Congress last April directed that all such funds be discretionary, FHWA awarded these funds through the same competitive process.

A complete state-by-state list of this year's grant recipients is available online at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa1137/.