West Alabama Officials Voice Support For Stalled Highway Project

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Officials from across west Alabama joined together Thursday to voice support for planned highway improvements between Tuscaloosa and Thomasville, the funding for which was recently stalled in the state legislature.

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The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama was the host site for the press conference, which saw remarks delivered by mayors from Tuscaloosa and Fayette, along with bipartisan representation by members of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation.

As Patch previously reported, Sen. Chris Elliott, a Republican from Baldwin County, cited concerns about costs before successfully pushing for a hold on the project that would add much-needed lanes to U.S. Highway 43 and Alabama Highway 69 to complete a four-lane corridor stretching approximately 80 miles.

Supporters, including those in attendance on Thursday, have primarily touted the economic development opportunities offered for a large, rural swath of the state.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox thanked the mayors of Fayette and Thomasville for their support, before expressing the City of Tuscaloosa's desire to see improved safety and more opportunities for economic development.

Among these possibilities would be improved infrastructure to the Port of Mobile, which could provide a major opportunity for exports for companies like Mercedes Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) in Vance. Maddox pointed out similar business is being lost to the Port of Savannah as the West Alabama Corridor lacks the adequate infrastructure.

"We shouldn't be walking backward at a very important moment in our state's history to create jobs and improve the quality of life for all Alabamians. ... "There are parts of that journey from Tuscaloosa to Thomasville that frankly aren't as safe as they need to be."

Indeed, Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day estimates that 22,000 cars a day come through his city, with many on their way to the Alabama Gulf Coast for vacation.

As part of the bipartisan push from the local legislative delegation, State Sen. Gerald Allen, a Republican from Tuscaloosa who chairs the legislature's Joint Transportation Committee, voiced his support and pointed to the positive impacts on those in rural Alabama with few opportunities at present.

Allen was then followed by State Rep. Chris England, a Democrat from Tuscaloosa and a member of the Joint Transportation Committee.

As Patch previously reported, England, exercising his authority to hold Alabama Department of Transportation contracts as an individual member of the committee and in response to the hold placed on the West Alabama Corridor Project by Sen. Elliott, took a stand to hold contracts for any upcoming state infrastructure projects coming through the influential committee.

England on Thursday stressed the bipartisan nature of the project, as several Republican lawmakers joined him in support.

"We're here to advocate for our people," he said of the citizens across the multi-county footprint of the project. "So when you go down to the beach, I don't want you to go through Mississippi. I want you to take Highway 43 and stop at all the stores and stop at all the gas stations there and spend your money where we can use it to invest in your infrastructure. I've said it before, that I know how to act a fool when I need to. But when it comes to fighting for our constituents, I will continue to do so."

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