By Eason Franklin
The Lowndes Signal

The Lowndes County Commission is working on a grant to improve road conditions in certain areas of the county.

Commissioners voted unanimously this week to bid out a contract for a road paving project on Knights Place Rd. near Ft. Deposit, Green Lake Rd. off U.S. Highway 21 in Hayneville and Collirene Cutoff/Rudolph Rd. near County Road 9 during the July 26 Commission meeting.

Each of the three locations will receive about one mile of resurfacing if the county is awarded a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).

Though the grant is still in the application process, funds received will be $400,000, according to County Engineer David Butts.

“We are looking at contracting the work,” said Butts. “Materials will be the minor cost of the whole project.”

The county will be required to match a portion of the total cost of the project, which has been estimated between $630,000 and $650,000, according to Tiffany Horn of ADECA.

“ADECA will rate the road higher if the Commission offers a 20-percent match,” said Horn. “The cost of the project is high unless the Commission would like to provide materials only.”

District 1 Commissioner Robert Harris commented on his decision to accept bidding on the project.

“It was a better option for the county to bid out the project,” said Harris. “The bid contract has the potential to save the county money.”

The county is looking to pay for the raw materials used in the project, such as gravel, liquid asphalt and rocks, added Harris. The deadline for the grant application process is August 2.