By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
The City of Prattville is in the midst of a major roadway project that would see an expansion of McQueen Smith Road. The project would start from the south end of McQueen Smith, where the road intersects with US 31, and would end at the north end, where it intersects with Cobbs Ford Road.
The project would see major infrastructure changes, including a widening of the road, from two lanes to four lanes. A traffic signal would also be placed where the stop sign lies at the intersection of the road and US 31 – a move that the city hopes will better control traffic flow.
The problem that currently lies with the City of Prattville is funding for the project. City representatives have been in talks with the Federal Highway Administration, a division of U.S. Department of Transportation, for the past two years, attempting to become eligible for a build grant that would help cover the costs for the $18 M project.
Both years, the city’s application was not approved because they were told that their qualifying score was not high enough, says City Engineer, Robby Anderson. A third application will be submitted this year, and city officials are optimistic that their score will be sufficient enough for funding this go-around.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that this project happens. That stretch of road is what we like to call a growth corridor, and its imperative that our roadways in that area evolve and expand as businesses and homes are built,” Anderson said.
This is deemed as an “active project”, meaning that the City of Prattville has already begun the preliminary requirements needed to get the expansion off the ground. Anderson says that they are currently in the “right-away acquisition phase”, explaining that the city is in the process of purchasing the land around road to make way for the widening.
Anderson says that the city does not anticipate the project to start this year, but that they are doing everything in their power to make it happen as quickly as possible.
