North Carolina Emergency Management has announced that Western North Carolina residents in Helene disaster-declared counties have until August 31 to submit project interest forms through the North Carolina Emergency Management Private Road and Bridge Program.
The NC-PRB program also will initiate a formal application process for newly authorized reimbursements totaling an additional $25 million for Helene private road and bridge repairs that have already been performed. Those applications will open in early September and will be considered through February. Individual reimbursements will be permitted to cover up to 50 percent of a project’s total cost.
“Western North Carolinians rely on private roads and bridges to access their communities and emergency services,” said NC Emergency Management Director Will Ray. “Repairing these roads and bridges is critical for public safety and for the rebuilding efforts in Western North Carolina, and we want to ensure resources are allocated quickly and to the highest-priority sites.”
In accordance with the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part I, NC-PRB will prioritize direct repairs and replacements to private roads or bridges that:
- Are the sole access for emergency services to residential properties occupied by the property owner for more than six months of the calendar year.
- Provide access to multiple residential homes, recreation, or commercial facilities.
North Carolina established the Private Bridge and Road Program earlier this year to provide permanent private property access repairs to those most in need following Helene. Since mid-March, the program has received more than 5,100 interest form submissions covering nearly 16,000 impacted households.
The NC-PRB team has completed more than 4,700 on-site verifications and initial estimates in every county impacted by Helene. Permanent bridge repair has begun in Yancey, McDowell, and Buncombe counties. An additional 128 sites have been identified for initial construction, with 137 identified for engineering design. Construction contracts serving the remaining affected counties will be advertised and awarded in August, including for road, pipe, and culvert repair. For more information, visit: https://www.ncdps.gov/Helene/
