The Jefferson County Infrastructure Committee reported several transportation items and the commission approved a resolution to apply for an ALDOT local road safety grant and extended a gateway maintenance contract.
Staff described a proposed ALDOT Local Road Safety Program application that would cover guardrail improvements, bridge slab work and related safety investments. The total program discussed was presented as approximately $5.4 million with a 90/10 split (ALDOT/county) mentioned in staff remarks; staff said the county would pay about 30% of the gateway maintenance contract portion when jointly funded with partners.
The commission also approved an extension of a service agreement for gateway landscaping and maintenance (a contract with an external vendor originally developed with city and university partners). Staff said the contract is typically one year with renewals up to three years and that the county’s share of the gateway maintenance funding is roughly 30% of the total; staff will track reimbursements from ALDOT and partner contributions.
Commissioners asked staff to get quotes for expanding similar upkeep programs to other interchanges across the county and to coordinate with ALDOT on encampment cleanup and ongoing mowing schedules. Staff said it will seek estimates and outline potential funding partners for other sites.