FEMA AWARDS VERMONT NEARLY $1.1 MILLION FOR IRENE RAILROAD BRIDGE
REPAIRS
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20221121/fema-awards-vermont-nearly-11-million-irene-railroad-bridge-repairs]


Release Date: 
November 21, 2022 

BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending
almost $1.1 million to the State of Vermont to reimburse the costs of
repairing a railroad bridge after it was damaged by flooding during
Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011.

The $1,072,923 Public Assistance grant will go to the Vermont Agency
of Transportation (VAOT) for the costs of repairing and relocating the
Green Mountain Railroad Rail Bridge No. 114 over the Williams River in
Chester.

Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Irene almost knocked the steel lattice
truss bridge – built in 1899 – into the river and left it tilted
25 degrees, requiring emergency and temporary repairs immediately
after the storm in August and September 2011 to return it to service.

As its contractors began permanent repairs in October and November
2011, VAOT decided to relocate this bridge 19 feet to the east
following the existing rail alignment, and subsequently demolished the
temporarily repaired abutments and constructed two replacement
abutments using the latest applicable standards and prevailing
construction practices in the railroad industry.

“Recovery from a catastrophic event like Tropical Storm Irene is a
long and complex process,” said FEMA Region I Regional Administrator
Lori Ehrlich. “FEMA is pleased to assist Vermont as it wraps up the
few remaining projects and prepares to close the books on Irene.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding
for states and communities recovering from a federally declared
disaster or emergency. Vermont has received nearly $209 million from
the program for Tropical Storm Irene.