Emergency Relief (ER) Program
Emergency Relief (ER) Program supports public entities in Kansas with repairs to disaster-damaged federal-aid roads and bridges to restore essential traffic, limit damage, and rebuild damaged facilities.
Funder: Kansas Department of Transportation
Due Dates: Within 2 years of the disaster (State application identifying all project sites and costs)
Funding Amounts: Repair or reconstruction costs for eligible damaged facilities; generally $5,000 minimum repair cost per site
Summary: Supports repairs to federal-aid roads and bridges damaged by declared natural disasters or catastrophic failures from external causes.
Key Information: Public entities must have eligible federal-aid highways, and affected-area estimated damage must total at least $700,000.
Description
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) offers Emergency Relief funding for necessary repairs on federal-aid eligible routes following a declared natural disaster or catastrophic failure from an external cause. Examples include floods, tornadoes, severe storms, and bridge collapses caused by an impact. The program supports public entities restoring roads and bridges after extraordinary events, rather than general roadway improvements or routine maintenance.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administers the federal Emergency Relief program, which supplements state, local, and other federal resources. Assistance covers emergency work to restore essential traffic, limit damage, and protect remaining facilities, as well as permanent repairs to restore damaged highways. Eligible reconstruction may meet current design standards, while additional protective features generally require justification based on their ability to reduce future Emergency Relief costs.
