Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $300,000 grant to the Perry County Commission to continue its recovery from torrential rains that damaged roads and continues to be a health and safety concern.
The Community Development Block Grant will assist the county in repairing eight county roads that were washed out or made impassable after Tropical Storm Alberto struck the area in late May. The storm struck the Gulf Coast and worked its way inland into Alabama, dumping 19 inches of rain in the county over a three-day period.
“Thanks to the precautions and quick reaction from emergency management professionals and local governments, Alabama was spared major injury or damage during this storm, but even the best preventive measures cannot prevent all damage,” Ivey said. “The Perry County road problems have caused a hardship on residents, particularly those with medical conditions, who have to go out of their way to travel to doctors, work, school and shopping, and I am thankful that CDBG funds are available to make these much-needed repairs.”
Funds will be used to repair a total of 13 miles of roads. The repairs range from half a mile to 3 miles in length on roads scattered throughout the county.
Scheduled for repairs are Pernell/Pink Wilson Road, Sand Creek Road, Red Bamberg Road, Spring Hill Church Road, Pratt Thomas Road, Oak Grove Church Road, Starks Road and Ford Road.
The Perry County Road Department is providing labor and equipment for the projects. Ivey awarded a $350,000 CDBG in September to the city of Marion, also in Perry County, for repairing Alberto-damaged roads.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“The Community Development Block Grant program provides critical aid to help rural communities recover from infrastructure damage caused by natural disaster,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Governor Ivey in supporting the efforts of Perry County to recover from Alberto.”
Ivey notified County Commission Chairman Ronald Miller that the grant had been approved.
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
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Contact Jim Plott or Mike Presley