Third phase of city ATRIP projects to begin in 2014

After coming to an agreement with county commissioners, the city of Enterprise is expected to receive about $800,000 in Alabama Transportation and Rehabilitation Improvement Program funds to improve two city streets.

The city and county requested a combined $4.7 million to complete projects, however only about $1.8 million was received from the third round of the state program.

The state has released three rounds of ATRIP funding, with the first two given to the counties and municipalities individually.

The third round was released to the counties with the request that the counties and municipalities work together on how the funds are distributed between the two entities.

On Aug. 28, the county agreed to provide about $320,000 to Enterprise to complete the resurfacing project of Coppinville Road.

However, after further negotiations, commissioners agreed to provide the additional $498,676 requested by Enterprise to replace a portion of Shellfield Road connected to Dauphin Street, which is also being replaced by funding from phase one and two disbursements of ATRIP funds.

"They're all very honorable, and I appreciate them working with Enterprise, and understanding the pressures that are on that particular stretch of road," Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell said.

Boswell said Shellfield Road serves about 5,090 residents in a 24-hour period.

The three-year agreement between the county and city requires Enterprise to handle the disposal of leachate from the Coffee County Landfill and the Brundidge Landfill, which the county is in the process of purchasing.

The total cost of the Coppinville and Shellfield road projects is $1,023,556, of which ATRIP will fund 80 percent, or $818,844, with the local match being $204,711 coming from the city's general fund.

"We're very happy, because this is such a large project and how that particular section of Shellfield Road ties back into Dauphin. This will give us more of a finished, clean aesthetic appearance, but most of all, this will absolutely correct a lot of problems in the area," Boswell said.

Dauphin Street is potholed and does not have adequate storm drainage, which causes flooding during heavy rain.

"The drainage in those areas is just awful," Boswell said. "Those streets are so old, and during the time that they were developed the pressure of residential housing wasn't as defined as it is today and with us being able to handle that water, it will make the traveling public more safe."

The entire infrastructure of Dauphin Street and the portion of Shellfield Road will be replaced, including sewer, water and gas lines.

Based on information provided to the city by the Alabama Department of Transportation, work on phase one and two of Dauphin Street is expected to go out to bid this December with work beginning about 120 days after a bid is accepted.

Boswell said he's expecting the third phase (Shellfield and Coppinville roads) to not be sent out for bid until June 2014.

"The city would not have been able to take that whole project on had it not been for the state stepping up with the 80 percent," Boswell said. "We just couldn't have done it."

Boswell said the city has $3 million set aside in this administrative term for road resurfacing projects and with petroleum prices as high as they are, those funds won't go very far.

The Dauphin Street project alone, with the replacement of infrastructure and resurfacing, will cost about $3 million.

"A lot of thought and planning is going into this," Boswell said.

As the project start date nears, Boswell said he plans to set up a meeting with the residents living along the roadways and the project engineers to set up a schedule.

"We'll have the engineer set up a schedule because communications between the city and communications between the engineer and the citizens is very important because people still have to get to and from work and to and from the grocery store and church," Boswell said. "We want to make sure that they are very aware of what's going on."

Boswell said the project would likely inconvenience residents, however, he hopes the end result will be worth the inconvenience to residents.

"We'll apologize up front, but when you've got this chance with this much money and to be able to fix a life-long problem, I think the end goal will be very much worth it, and we just ask for their kind consideration and patience during this construction when it begins."