Hawai‘i Island Set To Receive $1.2 Million In Federal Funding To Repair Mamalahoa Highway After Damage From Hurricane Lane

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i County will receive $1,195,089.75 in new federal funding to repair the Laupahoehoe Gulch Bridge along the Mamalahoa Highway after damage from Hurricane Lane in 2018.

“We haven’t fully recovered from the natural disasters in 2018 yet, but this federal grant will help repair the Laupahoehoe Bridge,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “As we continue rebuilding, I will keep fighting for more federal resources at every opportunity.”

“I was very pleased to hear that we will be receiving the federal funding to repair the Laupahoehoe Bridge. Senator Schatz has always been a champion for our rural communities, and we are forever grateful for his leadership,” said Valerie Poindexter, Hawai‘i County Councilmember.

The damage to the bridge was caused by severe flooding after Hurricane Lane hit Hawai‘i in August of 2018. The repairs will help ensure the long-term stabilization of the bridge so that people can travel on the highway safely.

This new grant comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is expected to cover 75 percent of the total project cost. With this latest funding, Hawai‘i has now received more than $10 million from FEMA’s Public Assistance program for recovery from Hurricane Lane and nearly $185 million in total funding to help Hawai‘i recover from the multiple natural disasters in 2018.

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