The road to safer highways in Alabama received a major boost with regional grant distribution from ADECA and Gov. Kay Ivey.
Three of the state’s regional traffic safety offices and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will use the funds to cover overtime for police officers, sheriffs’ deputies and state troopers to conduct extra patrols during peak travel times targeting speeding, seat belt violations and impaired driving.
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“Anyone who chooses to drive impaired or disobey traffic laws is a danger to everyone on Alabama’s roads and highways,” Ivey said.
“These grants support our police officers, sheriffs’ deputies and state troopers who are working long hours to enforce the law and provide a clear message to drive safely and responsibly.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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“ADECA supports Gov. Ivey in her efforts to ensure that our state and local law enforcement agencies have what they need to make Alabama’s roads safer for everyone traveling in our state,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
The grants are:
- $1.58 million to the Franklin County Commission for the North Central Alabama Highway Safety Office. (Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Marion, Morgan, Pickens, Walker and Winston counties)
- $1.2 million for the Southeast Alabama Regional Highway Safety Office at Enterprise State Community College. (Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes, Montgomery, Pike, Russell and Tuscaloosa counties)
- $1.05 million to the Mobile County Commission for the Southwest Regional Highway Safety (Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox counties)
- $1.54 million to ALEA whose state troopers cover the entire state. Funds will also be used for training officers in how to spot signs of someone experiencing a mental health crisis and/or drug or medical disorders.
- $189,869 to the Office of Prosecution Services for a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor who will assist law enforcement agencies across Alabama.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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