AUBURN —U.S. Senator Collins and Rep. Michael Michaud each announced on Friday, July 13, that the U.S. Department of Transportation has agreed to their shared request to provide $500,000 in emergency federal highway funding to repair Route 136 between Auburn and Freeport, according to press statements from their respective offices.

Heavy rain in the beginning of June caused the damage on Route 136, and most of the destruction occurred in the Durham area.

According to the release, Collins says she continues to work with officials at FEMA as it assesses the damage severe storms and flash flooding from late June inflicted on local roads in eastern and northern Maine, including Brownville, Milo, and Patten.

The Federal Emergency Relief Program, through the U.S. Department of Transportation, assists states with unusually heavy expenses for the repair or reconstruction of federal roads damaged by natural disaster or catastrophic failures. On June 2, Gov. Paul LePage issued a State of Emergency proclamation for flooding damages throughout Maine.

The Maine Department of Transportation estimates the road damage on Route 136 will cost $2.5 million to repair.