Thousands of private bridges were damaged during Helene. Nonprofits are helping rebuild.

When Tropical Storm Helene swept through Western North Carolina in September, the storm’s torrential rains triggered massive floods and landslides that tore through thousands of miles of the region’s roads and bridges.

Highways collapsed into rivers, bridges and culverts washed out, and roadways, covered in mounds of mud and debris, limited relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the storm.

Almost immediately, the repair work began.

An initial report by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management estimates that the state’s transportation infrastructure sustained more than $8 billion in damages, with repair of state-maintained roads and bridges bearing the brunt of that cost.

But private roads and bridges also suffered severe damage across the region, limiting access to homes and neighborhoods, with initial repair estimates totaling $460 million, according to the OBSM.

Still, more than two months later, many property owners are waiting on permanent fixes for their roads and bridges, a major infrastructure challenge in a region with rough terrain that adds an extra layer of difficulty.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has received nearly 7,000 reports of damage to private road and bridges in Western North Carolina, according to Heather Smith, the agency’s private road and bridge task force lead for Helene.

As of Dec. 5, the agency has awarded $8.2 million to more than 2,700 households for road and bridge repair, she said, with thousands more applications for assistance still pending.

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Bridging together

While FEMA is funding repairs, nonprofit groups like Lutheran Disaster Response Carolinas and Mennonite Disaster Service are partnering to help rebuild some of the private bridges Helene damaged and destroyed.

Beginning in early January, the two groups will be working in Avery, Buncombe, Madison, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties as part of the Bridging Together Partnership. The partnership, which recently received a $2 million grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, will prioritize bridge repair projects that impact multiple families or critically vulnerable populations, like older people with medical conditions.

“Lutheran Disaster Response and Mennonite Disaster Service have the track record and expertise to respond to this need and are set to break ground on the first bridge in January,” CFWNC President Elizabeth Brazas said in a news release. “They are in communication with local leadership and have support to process permits needed to avoid delays.”

Helene damaged an estimated 5,000 private bridges, according to the news release.

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Rev. Ray Sipe, LDR Carolinas’ disaster coordinator, told the Citizen Times Dec. 5 the two groups' first project will be rebuilding a private bridge in Henderson County for a community of 16 families.

Not only will the project help restore access to the neighborhood, Sipe said, but it will also be an opportunity to teach other volunteer organizations and contractors how to rebuild bridges that can withstand future storms and flooding.

It’s a more resilient design, Sipe said, one that an MDS engineer developed involving steel pipes, beams and rebar, and 2x6 planks, that strengthen the bridges.

“They won’t fall over, they won’t get washed out, they won’t disappear in a flood,” Sipe said.

How to receive assistance to repair a private bridge or road

To receive FEMA funding assistance, homeowners must apply through the agency's individual assistance program. If multiple homes share a privately-owned access route, assistance is shared between applicants, according to FEMA, and requires additional documentation and coordination.

To apply for FEMA disaster assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

For more information on Bridging Together, call 704-633-4862 or email bridges@ldrcarolinas.org.

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Jacob Biba is the county watchdog reporter at the Asheville Citizen Times. Reach him at jbiba@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Helene damaged 5,000 private bridges. Nonprofits are helping rebuild.