MONTGOMERY— Three municipalities in Madison and Marshall counties will soon be completing needed infrastructure improvement projects with the help of Community Development Block Grants totaling $1.1 million awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The governor awarded grants of $429,398 to Boaz in Marshall County and grants of $350,000 each to New Hope and Owens Cross Roads in Madison County for water, sewer and street rehabilitation projects.
“Community Development Block Grants enable progress on vital projects that local governments would otherwise be unable to complete,” Bentley said. “I am pleased to work in partnership with community leaders in Boaz, New Hope and Owens Cross Roads to complete these projects which will provide reliable and essential services to residents.”
Boaz will replace 5,300 feet of old water mains along Walnut, Douglas, Daily and Bassett streets with larger capacity iron lines. The new lines will alleviate leakage and water pressure issues currently experienced by residents in the project area due to the deteriorating pipes which were installed in the 1920s and 1950s. The streets will be resurfaced as part of the project. The city is contributing $107,349 in cash and in-kind services toward the project’s completion.
New Hope will make sewer system and drainage improvements along Aldridge Circle and Melanie Lane to eliminate sewage backups into homes and storm drain overflows into yards during rainy weather. City officials said cracks in the old sewer lines and poor drainage facilities are the cause of the overflows. New Hope also will repair and resurface both streets, which have many ruts and potholes. The city is contributing $67,175 toward the project.
Owens Cross Roads will rehabilitate 5,021 feet of brittle old sewer lines on Hamer, Dudley and Piney Woods roads that are causing frequent leaks and backups. The project will install new piping inside of the existing sewer lines, a method that saves both time and money by eliminating the need to completely dig up and replace the old piping. The town is contributing $35,000 toward the project.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“ADECA’s Community Development Block Grants are important investments in the quality of life for Alabama communities,” ADECA Director Jim Byard Jr. said. “This year, ADECA received 108 applications for projects that support economic and community development. We were able to award 54 projects totaling $17.5 million in investments. I am proud of the projects chosen this year, especially these that will benefit the residents of Boaz, New Hope and Owens Cross Roads.”
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
Contact: Mike Presley or Jennifer Ardis