NY roads, bridges get $250m in Sandy aid

NEW YORK (AP) -- Federal transportation officials say they will spend $250 million reimbursing the state of New York for the cost of repairing roads and bridges damaged by Superstorm Sandy.

The money will come from the disaster relief act passed earlier this year.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the agency will use another $37 million appropriated in the bill to repair damages caused by previous weather events.

The department says it has also issued a new rule that will streamline the environmental review process normally required for transportation projects, in an effort to speed the recovery.