Photo by Jon Anderson
Traffic travels along U.S. 31 in Homewood, Alabama, on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. The city of Homewood won a $2 million state grant to make upgrades to the highway, including ingress and egress changes and new crosswalks.
After months of waiting, Homewood received word this week that its proposal to make upgrades to U.S. 31 is one of 26 projects to be awarded a state transportation grant.
Gov. Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that Homewood has received the maximum $2 million available in this round of Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program grants.
The state awarded $40 million in state transportation grants to cities and counties for road and bridge projects. The ATRIP-II program was created by the Rebuild Alabama Act, which requires money to be set aside from ALDOT’s share of new gas tax revenue for projects of local interest on the state highway system.
The Homewood award will include $2 million for construction work to be performed along U.S. 31 from Ventura Avenue to the intersection with Old Montgomery Highway just north of the YMCA. The plan is to alter the ingress and egress points along the highway and provide crosswalks to improve traffic flow and safety.
“The City of Homewood believes that these transportation enhancements will improve the quality of life for our community and those that are commuting through it,” Mayor Patrick McClusky said.
Design work should take about six months, and construction is estimated to begin within two years, Homewood City Engineer Cale Smith said.
Kimley-Horn provided consulting services for the city’s grant application.
