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Infrastructure / News / State

Alabama gets $10.8 million to replace bridges along I-85

Alabama is to get $10.8 million to replace bridges, thanks to a federal grant, it was announced Thursday.  The three pairs of bridges along I-85 in Opelika are to be replaced through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, part of the $225 million being granted through the Competitive Highway Bridge Program for 20 … Continued
August 30, 2019

Ivey: Revitalizing state’s infrastructure critical to moving forward

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao officially announced that Alabama has been selected for two Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grants totaling close to $132 million. USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao and the USDO announced a wave of grant awards Thursday. Alabama received two allocated $6.87 million for an infrastructure project in … Continued
July 26, 2019

Takeaways from 2019 Legislative Session

The 2019 Alabama regular Legislative Session is over, and a lot happened that could substantially change how Alabama is governed. While hundreds of bills passed, here are the 11 biggest takeaways from the regular session that just ended and the special session. The state has more money for education. Following the Great Recession payments to … Continued
June 3, 2019

House passes bills to allow for modern toll roads

The Alabama House of Representatives passed two bills Wednesday to allow for the state to modernize and update the toll road authority. Presently, the only toll roads in the state are private toll roads, most notably the beach express bridge to go to Orange Beach in Baldwin County. That will change with the new Interstate-10 … Continued
May 31, 2019

No surprise at all: Lawmakers are already trying to get their hands on gas tax money

Two months. That’s how long it took for Alabama politicians to break all of those oh-so-sincere promises to you about the gas tax. Two months ago, when the Legislature was debating this 10-cent gas tax increase — the one that can be increased another penny for years to come — there was one often-repeated promise … Continued
May 14, 2019

Rural roads need fixing

Last week we talked about the importance that roads are to the economic development of our state.  We spoke about urban growth and expansion, especially the needs for highways in Huntsville and the improvement of the Port in Mobile. Well, I overlooked the needs and importance of our rural roads.  Make no doubt about it, … Continued
March 20, 2019

Senate committee approves gas tax increase

The Senate Transportation and Energy Committee gave a favorable recommendation Monday to a controversial plan to raise fuel taxes by ten cents per gallon to pay for road and bridge construction and for improvements to the Port of Mobile. The legislation, HB1, is sponsored by state Representative Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa. Senator Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, is … Continued
March 12, 2019

Gas tax opponents denounce special session as “government malpractice”

Stop the Alabama Gas Tax PAC said that Alabamians should view Tuesday night’s special session announcement from Gov. Kay Ivey and the Legislature’s cooperation as “governmental malpractice.” “Montgomery politicians are coming for your wallet and they’re coming fast,” Ralph Long, chairman of the Stop the Alabama Gas Tax PAC said Wednesday. “This special session, held … Continued
March 8, 2019

Transportation Committee to vote today infrastructure legislation

The Alabama House of Representatives began its special session Wednesday to consider raising the fuel taxes that motorists pay by 10 cents over three years. The plan is being spearheaded by Alabama’s Republican Gov. Kay Ivey. “Due to the dire need to act now, I am the Alabama Legislature into a special session, focused solely … Continued
March 7, 2019

The state of this state is, as usual, weird

It feels wrong to call it a “special” session. Maybe “other” session. Or “equally idiotic” session. But whatever you call it, there will be a special session inside a regular session in Alabama this year to hash out the dire situation with Alabama’s … um, roads. Yes, you read that correctly. The roads and bridges … Continued
March 6, 2019