Flood Recovery Grant will help Repair Rocky Mountain National Park's Roads

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today welcomed the release of a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help repair roads in Rocky Mountain National Park that were damaged by last September’s floods.

“Rocky Mountain National Park took a one-two punch last fall – first from devastating floods that hindered access to the park and then from an unnecessary government shutdown,” Bennet said. “Thankfully, Coloradans are resilient, and our communities have worked double duty to recover and rebuild. This grant comes as Coloradans are gearing up to take advantage of the many outdoor recreational opportunities in Rocky Mountain National Park.

“Many communities continue to face the daunting task to rebuild, and these projects will take time to complete,” Bennet added. “We will not forget any community that needs assistance as we rebuild together.”

The funding comes from DOT’s Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads, which provides assistance to help rebuild and repair federally-owned roads following tragedies like the 2013 floods that caused millions of dollars in damage along Colorado’s Front Range.

Bennet led efforts to secure recovery aid for Colorado communities devastated by the 2013 floods. Bennet and Senator Mark Udall led the effort that successfully lifted the cap on the amount of emergency transportation resources Colorado could access to rebuild damaged infrastructure. He also helped secure federal funding to restore Colorado’s watersheds following the floods. Additionally, Bennet led efforts to secure more than $250 million from HUD’s CDBG-DR program to finance ongoing flood recovery work in Colorado.