The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has released the remainder of the federal aid  to finance the repairs and replacement spans for the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said.

Murray opened a June 13 Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing on bridge issues a bit late, but the reason for the delay soon became clear.  Murray, the panel’s chair, said she had just received a call from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, telling her U.S. DOT was “releasing the rest of the emergency funds needed to repair the Skagit River Bridge.”