Contributed by
the city of Auburn
By David D. DortoN, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Last Wednesday, Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) announced that the city of Auburn is one of several Alabama cities to be awarded state transportation funding. The city of Auburn will receive $1.51 million to assist with the widening and resurfacing of Shug Jordan Parkway between Richland Road and the former Armory location at 1455 Shug Jordan Parkway. The project will also include the addition of a center turn lane and a culvert extension.
The city has recognized the need for left turn lanes along Shug Jordan Parkway for many years and has partnered with ALDOT in the past to add them on other sections of Shug Jordan, including at Northpoint Drive and near Hickory Dickory Park. This addition is expected to increase safety in the area, minimizing accidents due to vehicles slowing down to turn.
The funding comes from the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II), a program created by the Rebuild Alabama Act. Each year, a minimum of $30 million is set aside from ALDOT’s share of the new gas tax revenue for projects on the state highway system. The funding is provided to local governments without a requirement for local governments to commit matching funds.
It is expected that several projects will be under contract during fiscal year 2022, and all projects are required to move forward within two years.
“We’re always grateful for programs like ATRIP that help us stretch our taxpayer’s dollars in bringing improvements to our infrastructure,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. “I’d like to extend thanks on behalf of the City of Auburn to Gov. Kay Ivey and our state transportation department for helping us improve Auburn’s roadways.”