Disaster Recovery
National Transportation Recovery Strategy
The National Transportation Recovery Strategy (NTRS) is designed to help transportation industry stakeholders and local, tribal, and State government officials prepare for and manage the transportation recovery process following a major disaster.
The overall goal of this Strategy is to promote a recovery process for transportation networks – and subsequently of communities in general – that results in a greater level of resilience.
The NTRS offers recommendations on preparing for and managing the transportation recovery process and funding sources available to help build resiliency into the transportation recovery process. Additionally, the NTRS provides general information on incident management and the role of the Federal Government in transportation recovery. You are encouraged to use the NTRS as a resource to start planning for your role in the transportation and overall recovery process of your community following a disaster.
Most Popular Information
Recent Transportation Recovery Efforts
Severe storms and flooding throughout Spring 2011 devastated communities across the nation, causing catastrophic damage to homes, businesses, lands, and roadway infrastructure in many states. Along the Mississippi River in St. Francois County, Missouri, 200 square miles of farmland were deliberately flooded to save the town of Cairo, Illinois; further downstream, parts of downtown Memphis, Tennessee were evacuated as flood waters encroached. Counties and parishes in Mississippi and Louisiana have carried out extensive evacuations along levees and in designated floodways, in part due to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ attempts to minimize downstream damage in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
On May 24, 2011, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the availability of $1 million in quick release emergency funds to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to aid in the repair of roads and bridges damaged by floods as a result of the spring’s snowmelt. Quick release emergency funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will reimburse states and counties for the cost of roadway and infrastructure repairs. The FHWA Emergency Relief program provides funds for the repair or reconstruction of roads and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. The program is anticipating several additional funding requests from more states, as extreme weather conditions; including floods, storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, continue to impact transportation systems across the country.