West Alabama Highway 43 corridor moving forward

WEST ALABAMA, Ala. (WBRC) – Big progress for the West Alabama Highway corridor. Governor Kay Ivey has signed the contract which will provide tens of millions of dollars for part of the work to begin.

When complete, Highway 43 will run from Tuscaloosa to Mobile. West Alabama government leaders say the $75 million project will complete the entire engineering work needed before the real dirt work begins.

The governor’s signature on Tuesday came just days after a news conference in Tuscaloosa imploring state leaders that the Highway 43 corridor is more than a worthwhile project, but a channel to something bigger and better for that part of the state.

“This project, as laid out by the governor and legislature, begins to turn the page on an area of the state that’s gone decades without it,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said last week.

“Naturally, we’re extremely excited,” said Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day.

From his office in Thomasville in Clark County, Mayor Sheldon Day was thrilled to get moving on the project after more than a month of it being held up by concerns on how the West Alabama Highway would be funded. There will be no matching federal dollars. It will be paid for through the Rebuild Alabama Act, according to state officials. The Rebuild Alabama Act is funded by the state’s gas tax.

“The impact this project can make on west Alabama is life-giving and will bring so many great things that are unforeseeable in this point in time,” said Mayor Day.

Things like economic investments and jobs, according to supporters like Mayor Day. What the $75 million will do is complete the map, the actual route the Highway 43 corridor will take, 80 miles stretching from Tuscaloosa to Mobile.

“Some of that has already been done, but from my understanding this will complete the engineering for the entire route, so you can immediately move to finalize plans and begin construction in several other areas,” said Mayor Day.

The goal to complete the new Highway 43 extension is within five years, all at a cost of $760 million. Mayor Day is convinced with the governor’s signature on Tuesday, there is no turning back.

“The last thing you want to do is spend millions and millions of dollars for it not to move forward,” said Mayor Day.

Moving forward it is, and going beyond west Alabama, the mayor tells us there are highway projects going on right now in all 67 counties in Alabama, courtesy of the Rebuild Alabama Act.

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