The federal government is reimbursing California for $182 million the state has already spent on Caltrans’ construction of the Devil’s Slide project along Route 1 between Pacifica and Montara.

Altogether, the Obama Administration has released nearly $1.6 billion via the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program to reimburse 30 states, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and federal land management agencies for repairs to roads and bridges caused by “storms, flooding, hurricanes and other natural and catastrophic disasters.”

The funding was approved by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012.

California is also getting a reimbursement for two other storm-related construction projects. According to Caltrans spokeswoman Karen Brewster, the state will receive $44.5 million for repairs caused by a series of storms in late December 2004 in eight Southern California counties. Some of the key storm damage locations included Interstate 5 north of Castaic; Highway 150 in Santa Barbara County; and Highway 18 in the mountainous areas of Crestline and Big Bear.

The other reimbursement, totaling $99.8 million, is directed to 41 counties from Redding to San Luis Obispo for storm damage from late December 2005 through mid-April 2006.

With more than $326 million in total reimbursements, California tops all other states and territories.

The Devil’s Slide project, meanwhile, is scheduled for completion in December. The $439-million project adds a new roadway and tunnels at the section of the coastline Route 1 that has routinely been washed out by heavy storms. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the project calls for construction of two tunnels of single lanes beneath San Pedro Mountain, each 22-ft wide and 4,200-ft long. At the northern end, a completed 1,000-ft-long bridge spans the valley at Shamrock Ranch. A re-alignment of Route 1 at the southern end will provide safe transition into and out of the tunnels. Approximately .25-mi south of the tunnels is the site of an operations and maintenance facility.

Kiewit Pacific is serving as general contractor on the tunnel and road portions of the project.