WisDOT waives deadline for filing state flood damage aid claims
April 1, 2008
Deadline waived for local governments in six southwest Wisconsin to file claims under WisDOT's Flood Damage Aid program
To assist local governments in six southwest Wisconsin counties impacted by last summer's heavy
rains, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is waiving the deadline to file state
flood damage aid claims for local roads and bridges damaged during the disaster. The indefinite
extension means municipalities will no longer have a deadline to file claims under WisDOT's Flood
Damage Aid program.
In a letter to municipal officials, WisDOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi said that while the
WisDOT has submitted the 2007 Emergency Relief Program funding request to the Federal Highway
Administration for their approval, the FHWA might determine some sites are not eligible for those
funds. In that case, municipal officials may submit a Flood Damage Aids claim to WisDOT for
possible payment. Because the disaster was so vast and there were many sites seeking assistance, it
may be a long time before eligibility is determined. Thus, as long as it can be proven that the
site damage is a direct result of the August 2007 storms, the old deadline for filing a petition
will be waived.
The extension applies to six counties (Crawford, Vernon, Richland, Sauk, La Crosse, and Dane)
that were declared eligible for federal disaster assistance, including damage to public
infrastructure, as a result of flooding that occurred between August 18 and August 31, 2007. The
state assistance applies to flood damages to local roads that do not qualify for federal disaster
aid.
Last October, WisDOT extended the deadline for filing state flood damage aid claims to the
end of 2007. In December, the deadline was extended for three months, to March 31, 2008. This
waiver will provide state and local governments the additional time needed to recover from last
summer's once-in-a-century flooding event. A copy of the
letter
(580 KB) sent to southwest Wisconsin
municipalities can be found on the WisDOT Web site.
For more information, contact:
Janice Watzke, WisDOT Flood Damage Aids Program Manager
(608) 266-9497,
janice.watzke@dot.state.wi.us
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