By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabama Department of Transportation is planning to fund several road projects in Alabaster over the next few fiscal years, the agency outlined in a recent document.

In a summary of its 2016 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, which was released earlier this month, ALDOT outlined funding amounts for road projects across the state scheduled through the end of the 2019 fiscal year.

Funding for several projects in Alabaster was included on ALDOT’s list of Shelby County projects. A project to widen Interstate 65 from Exit 242 in Pelham and Exit 238 in Alabaster – Where the interstate shrinks from six lanes to two lanes – was not included on the ALDOT plan.

The largest Alabaster project on the list is a plan to widen Alabama 119 from Fulton Springs Road to slightly south of Veterans Park. Preliminary designs call for the proposed widening project to include five lanes on Alabama 119 south of its intersection with Fulton Springs Road.

The project is being funded through a partnership with ALDOT and the city of Alabaster.

On its project list, ALDOT budgeted right-of-way acquisition for the project during the 2016 fiscal year, and budged utility movement and construction for the 2017 fiscal year. In total, ALDOT has budgeted about $11.6 million for the project.

ALDOT is holding a public involvement meeting for the widening project on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 4-7 p.m. at Alabaster City Hall at 1953 Municipal Way. During the public meeting, ALDOT will provide details and maps of the proposed project, and Alabaster officials and ALDOT staff members will be on-hand to discuss the project with local residents.

ALDOT has also budgeted $533,000 for the 2017 fiscal year to fund the resurfacing of Shelby County 17 between Shelby County 22 in Montevallo and Kent Dairy Road in Alabaster.

The 2016 fiscal year will bring $2.5 million in funding for a project to widen, resurface and add turn lanes on Thompson Road between Alabama 119 and Warrior Drive. The project is a partnership between Alabaster, Shelby County and ALDOT.

In the 2017 fiscal year, ALDOT has budgeted $345,000 to repave First Avenue West between Shelby County 17 and U.S. 31.