The Providence Journal / Kris Craig
An aerial photo of The Sandy Shore motel, left, and Paddy's Beach restaurant and bar, on Atlantic Ave in the Misquamicut area of Westerly, taken Wednesday. The Westerly area sustained a large amount of damage as Hurricane Sandy unleashed winds, waves and flooding in its path. View the aerial photo gallery.
CRANSTON, R.I. -- Rhode Island Department of Transportation director Michael P. Lewis said an early assessment on Tuesday determined the four areas in Rhode Island with the greatest need for repairs after Hurricane Sandy barreled through the state. The coastal areas include Corn Neck Road on Block Island, Ocean Road and the seawall in Narragansett, Ocean Drive and the adjoining seawall in Newport, and Poppasquash Road in Bristol.
Lewis addressed the damages at a Wednesday night news conference at the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Cranston, along with Governor Lincoln Chafee and other state officials.
He said the state received word Tuesday night that the federal authorities have agreed to immediately release the $3 million that was requested earlier that day so that work temporary repairs to all four problem areas could be made "starting this weekend." He said other requests for aid are likely to be made next week.
The temporary repairs will be entirely covered by the federal government, though the state would be responsible for 20 percent of the cost if the repairs are deemed permanent.
The good news, said Chafee, is that "these repairs will put people to work."
Charles Fogarty, the director of the Department of Labor and Training, said the department has been able to grant a waiver so that individuals who have been laid off or lost their jobs as a result of the storm can apply for benefits immediately without the typical waiting period so they can begin receiving checks "for this week."
He said businesses that have suffered physical losses will be able to apply for assistance as early as next week.
Bruce Brodoff, public affairs officer for the Boston regional office of FEMA, said it is not too early for homeowners to take pictures and collect information to document their losses in preparation for getting government help.
He said FEMA will have four or five teams going through the state beginning Thursday to assess the damage, and to help determine whether Rhode Island should be declared a federal disaster area. He said affected businesses should consider applying for help from the Small Business Administration.
Chafee said that on his tour of Block Island on Tuesday, he observed heavy damage to the newly-completed dock at Old Harbor Road, which had cost millions of dollars to build. "But I don't think it's eligible for any federal highway money because it's not a road," he added.
--CORRECTION: A previous version of this post gave an incorrect number and day that FEMA teams will be visiting Rhode Island this week. Four or five will visit the state on Thursday.