Clarification Regarding Recent Announcement of FEMA Funding
September 17, 2025
Press Release: Clarification Regarding Recent Announcement of FEMA Funding
The Town of Lake Lure would like to take this opportunity to clarify the recent federal announcement regarding FEMA funding for the Flowering Bridge Project. Unfortunately, this announcement was issued without clarification of the Town’s priorities related to the FEMA funding process.
The Town of Lake Lure is deeply appreciative of this federal support and recognition of the recovery needs created by Hurricane Helene.
- The funding referenced in this announcement comes through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which provides supplemental aid to state, tribal, and local governments following federally declared disasters.
- FEMA Public Assistance helps communities repair or replace public infrastructure and facilities damaged by the disaster.
- Within this program, FEMA offers a specific option called the Section 428 Alternative Procedures Program.
- Under Section 428, rather than being limited to repairing or replacing a facility exactly as it was before the disaster, the approved funding may be utilized to address critical infrastructure and mitigation projects.
- This approach gives local governments greater flexibility to prioritize long-term resilience, address the most pressing public safety needs, and make cost-effective use of federal recovery dollars.
Although this week’s preliminary federal announcement referenced funding for a pedestrian bridge, the Town must prioritize these limited resources for urgent infrastructure priorities such as the dam, the sewer system, and public safety facilities. These projects are essential to protecting public health and safety and ensuring the long-term resilience of our community.
The beloved Flowering Bridge will forever remain an important part of Lake Lure’s history. Regrettably, replacing the bridge would be cost prohibitive at this time. In additional to the need to prioritize restoration of critical infrastructure, the costs of replacement of the Flowering Bridge would far exceed the funding referenced in the federal announcement. The impact of flooding from Hurricane Helene eroded the shoreline and nearly doubled the span of the land that must be crossed when a replacement bridge is designed. A future replacement bridge would require a significantly larger and more costly structure.
The $2.8 million currently obligated represents a preliminary estimate, intended to provide the Town with initial funds to cover demolition costs already incurred and to support efforts to develop accurate replacement cost estimates. The Town is actively pursuing discussions with FEMA to negotiate a fixed cost offer based on the true cost of replacement. It is the Town’s intention that these valuable funds be directed toward priority recovery projects that will strengthen and restore our critical infrastructure.
The Town intends to revisit the concept of a pedestrian bridge when the permanent US 64/74 roadway is complete and a multimodal path is in place; however, this is a future project rather than a present priority.
The Town of Lake Lure remains committed to the responsible stewardship of disaster recovery funding and to transparency as decisions are made regarding this funding. Town officials will continue working closely with FEMA, state officials, and our community to ensure that resources are directed to the projects that most urgently serve the public safety and interests.
Sincerely,
Olivia Stewman
Town Manager
