MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Sen. Bernie Sanders is hailing passage of a federal transportation spending bill that will send $464 million to Vermont in the next two years.
Sanders says the money will help address what he calls an infrastructure crisis in the state. He says one-third of Vermont's bridges are obsolete and 36 percent of roads eligible for federal aid need major repairs.
An amendment attached by Sanders allows the Federal Highway Administration to cover 90 percent of the cost of road repair in states recovering from extreme natural disasters.
Sanders said Friday that the provision could mean up to $10 million in additional funds for Vermont, where Tropical Storm Irene caused between $150 million and $200 million in damage to roads and bridges.
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