Bart Mercer
Elmore County Commissioner
District 4
Update on REBUILD Alabama Projects in Elmore County
During the 2019 session, the Alabama legislature adopted what is now known as the REBUILD Alabama Act. This act provides for additional funding to counties to resurface roads and maintain bridges. Road and bridges represent a county tax-payers largest investment and properly maintaining these assets are essential.
One accountability measure placed on using County Rebuild Alabama Funds is each county must approve a County Transportation Plan detailing the infrastructure projects REBUILD funds will be expended on. At the July 22, 2019 Elmore County Commission meeting we approved our first County Transportation Plan well in advance of the August 31 deadline. The plan can be found at www.elmoreco.org.
The REBUILD Alabama Act will provide an additional $630,000 the first year to the Elmore County Commission which will fund resurfacing and preservation projects on county maintained roads.
The Elmore County Commission has posted signs along these same routes that will be resurfaced with REBUILD funds. This was not a requirement of the REBUILD Act, but the County Commission thought it was important for citizens to see the benefits of the passage of the REBUILD Alabama Act. This REBUILD logo seen on these signs has been very effective in communicating to citizens where these additional funds are being utilized.
The REBUILD logo and signs were actually designed by Elmore County Commission staff. Since the Commission posted the first REBUILD sign, it has gotten statewide attention and will be utilized by many local governments across Alabama in their effort to inform citizens of the benefits this additional funding will have to properly maintain their roads and bridges.
County highway dept personnel are currently preparing the roads within the county transportation plan for their resurfacing which is anticipated to begin in late Spring to early summer of 2020.