Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) on Thursday announced that over $30 million in funding is being awarded to cities and counties for 28 road and bridge projects thanks to money raised from the initial Rebuild Alabama fuel tax increase that went into effect on September 1.
The funding is made available through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II), a new program created under the Rebuild Alabama Act.
“An investment in our roads and bridges is an investment in the future of Alabama,” Ivey said in a statement.
“I am proud to see projects resulting from the Rebuild Alabama Act already getting off the ground. Soon, every Alabama citizen will feel the benefits from this additional investment in our infrastructure,” she added.
The Rebuild Alabama Act requires ATRIP-II to be an annual program setting aside a minimum of $30 million off the top of ALDOT’s share of new gas tax revenue for projects of local interest on the state highway system.
There was a total of $30.13 million from ALDOT awarded across the various projects. Half of the 28 successful applications from cities and counties put forward local funds for a total of approximately $9.5 million. However, matching funds was not a requirement to be eligible.
The projects were selected by the ATRIP-II Committee created by the Rebuild Alabama Act. It is anticipated that all projects will be under contract during the 2020 fiscal year, after bids are taken. Projects are required to move forward within two years of the awarding of funds.
You can view a list of the projects and award amounts here.
The ATRIP-II Committee is comprised of: ALDOT Director John Cooper; State Sens. Arthur Orr, Vivian Davis Figures and Garlan Gudger; Reps. Bill Poole, Steve Clouse and Debbie Wood; and Association of County Commissions of Alabama immediate past president and Choctaw County Commissioner Tony Cherry.
More on ATRIP-II can be read here.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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