ATRIP grants awarded, local projects receive $8.1 million

Coffee County and Enterprise have received a substantial chunk of state grant funding through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program.

The ATRIP funds will allow county and city officials to complete several needed road-resurfacing projects.

On Monday, Gov. Robert Bentley announced the approval of 302 additional road and bridge projects, the largest number of projects announced to date since the program started in March of 2012.

The total cost of all the projects is $397.78 million. Since the program, which is the largest road and bridge improvement program in Alabama's history, the state has approved $613 million worth in projects.

In this round of funding, more than $8 million has been approved for local projects.

In Coffee County, 13 road resurfacing projects and a bridge replacement project were approved. The state will provide about $6 million for the projects.

In Elba, $1.3 million will be provided by the state for two road-resurfacing projects.

Enterprise will receive $773,121 to complete the $1.1 million second phase of the Dauphin Street improvement project. The first phase, costing $1.8 million, has already been approved in a previous round of funding.

Improvements along the road include a complete replacement of infrastructure and resurfacing from North Main Street to the Highway 84 Bypass.

Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell said the city is ready to move forward with the project and soon as the state allows the city to move forward.

Boswell said he hopes to receive more money in the next round of funding to complete the Shellfield Road connector street from Dauphin Street to the Highway 84 Bypass.

According to Bentley's office, at least one additional round of ATRIP funding is scheduled.

In order to get ATRIP funds, counties and municipalities have to submit project proposals. The proposals are then analyzed by the Alabama Department of Transportation, reviewed by an advisory committee, which, in conjunction with Bentley, makes the project funding decisions.

All ATRIP road and bridge projects require 20 percent in local matching funds.

Funding for ATRIP comes through the use of GRAVEE bonds, which allow access to future federal funds to pay for road and bridge projects needed immediately.

The bonds, a press release says, allow the state to make needed improvements without raising taxes.

"Everyone benefits from ATRIP," Bentley said in a press release. "We're improving public safety by replacing old bridges and repairing and widening outdated roads. ATRIP also helps create jobs. When companies build new facilities, they look for areas with good roads and bridges. ATRIP is giving them what they need. The more companies that build and expand in Alabama, the more jobs we're able to create."

Road projects approved in Coffee County:

Resurfacing of County Road 107 from County Road 110 to State Road 125

Resurfacing of County Road 410 from State Road 134 to County Road 401

Resurfacing of County Road 306 from County Road 330 to Pike County line

Resurfacing of County Road 105 from County Road 110 to Pike County line

Resurfacing of County Road 114 from County Road 138 to County Road 105

Resurfacing of County Road 143 from Dale County line to State Road 51

Resurfacing of County Road 107 from County Road 105 to State Road 51

Resurfacing of County Road 330 from State Road 189 to County Road 306

Resurfacing of County Road 376 from State Road 141 to Covington County line

Resurfacing of County Road 625 from County Road 636 to State Road 141

Resurfacing of County Road 651 from Geneva County line to State Road 27

Resurfacing of County Road 547 from State Road 134 to County Road 514

Resurfacing of County Road 460 from Geneva County line to County Road 474

Bridge on County Road 637 over Whisky Branch

Road projects approved in Elba:

Resurfacing of County Road 355 and County Road 364 (Taylor Mill Road) from State Road 141 to State Road 203

Resurfacing of County Road 249/ Herman Driggers Drive 1.65 miles

Road projects approved in Enterprise:

Phase II improvements of Dauphin Street