The District will receive $1 million in federal emergency funds to cover costs associated with the cleanup of the pedestrian bridge that collapsed last month over Route 295, federal officials announced Thursday.
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The Federal Highway Administration said the funding will reimburse the D.C. Department of Transportation for the cost of demolition, cleanup and repair work after the June 23 collapse. Some of the funds will also help expedite a plan for a bridge replacement.
The District earlier this month announced it will replace the 65-year-old Lane Place Bridge within three years at an estimated cost of $25 million.
D.C. to replace collapsed pedestrian bridge over Route 295, Bowser says
The bridge, connecting the Kenilworth and Eastland Gardens neighborhoods to Deanwood, collapsed after a Mack truck traveling southbound with its subframe raised struck the footbridge, causing the structure to come loose, according to authorities. The collapse left the truck trapped beneath and led to a chain of crashes involving three other vehicles. Five people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Collapsed D.C. pedestrian bridge was in poor condition before hit by truck, didn’t meet height standards
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) earlier this month said she had ordered the use of $1.5 million to expedite design work for a new bridge that will meet accessibility requirements and standards for height clearance. The old bridge had a clearance of 14 feet and 4 inches, short of the 17？ foot modern standard. Bowser also said the city would apply for federal emergency funds for the project.
“We’re proud to support the people of Washington D.C. to help get this bridge removed and replaced as quickly as possible,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “This crash was another reminder of the work we need to do across the country to improve safety on our roads and modernize the infrastructure Americans rely on to get where they need to go.”