County Nets $2M To Align Jackson Trace Road & Bone Camp Road

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa County has confirmed it will be on the receiving end of nearly $2 million in state transportation funding for a major road project in the northern part of the county.

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District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker told Patch the county received $1,995,212.88 to align Bone Camp Road and Jackson Trace Road with Highway 171, which means the project is fully funded and will not require a local match.

Acker said the project will improve safety and traffic flow for a busy section of the Highway 171 corridor.

“This is a significant road improvement project for County Commission District 1 and is one that I have worked on for some time," Acker told Patch. "I believe this will improve the safety of these intersections which is, of course, a paramount concern. Our entire engineering staff under County Engineer Scott Anders did a great job in preparing this application and I certainly appreciate Representative Ron Bolton (R-Northport) and Senator Greg Reed (R-Jasper) for their support. I would certainly be remiss if I did not also express my thanks and the thanks of all the residents who use these roads to Governor Kay Ivey for this award.”

Acker explained there are several steps to get such a project underway, such as finalizing the engineering plan and getting necessary permitting approved.

The grant money was announced Wednesday by Governor Kay Ivey as part of more than $40 million in state transportation funding for cities and counties for various road and bridge projects.

Ivey's office said the funding is made available through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II) — a program created by the Rebuild Alabama Act.

"Again not anticipating issues but it takes time to do all that," Acker said. "Our engineering office estimates that if all goes well we would be able to begin in nine to 12 months. If we do encounter any issues it could run out to 18 months. The ATRIP program requires work to begin with two years of receiving the award."

What's more, 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.

“Through the continued, steadfast implementation of the Rebuild Alabama Act, I’m proud to announce the allocation of over $40 million in state transportation funding. This is a substantial investment that underscores our dedication to enhancing roads and bridges statewide,” Ivey said. “Alabamians deserve nothing short of excellence in their infrastructure, and Rebuild Alabama is continuing to deliver long-term results that are felt across every stretch of our state.”

The project for Tuscaloosa County was just one of 26 selected for funding for a total of just over $40 million in state transportation funding.

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