Jemison commits funds to road project

Published 5:09 pm Wednesday, August 11, 2021

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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Jemison City Council approved using its portion of the Rebuild Alabama gasoline tax revenue for improvements to County Road 71 during a meeting on Aug. 10.

The funding is specifically designated for County Road 71 from County Road 42 to the intersection of 71 and County Road 231/ Pine Hill Road.

“That is going to be by far the worst road we have got right now,” City Administrator Shannon Welch said.

Mayor Eddie Reed agreed.

Welch said the plan could be amended in the future, if needed.

Jemison expects to receive $19,000.

This is the same amount that the city expected to receive last year, and it is the same project that it approved spending the funds on in 2020.

These funds would not cover the entire cost of needed improvements to the road. Welch said the road would need more work than the just the normal repaving.

The Rebuild Alabama Act was passed in 2019 to increase the gasoline tax by 6 cents a gallon in 2019, 2 cents in 2020 and 2 cents in 2021. It also established a formula for future increases.

Cities and counties receive a portion of these increases, which can be used for road improvements and infrastructure.

Municipalities are required to pass an annual resolution detailing how the funds will be spent.