By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley recently announced state approval for more than $18.6 million worth of road and bridge projects in Shelby County through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program.

Bentley released a list detailing the projects on Feb. 4, and said state funding for the projects will come from GARVEE bonds, which he said give the state “access to future federal dollars to pay for road and bridge projects that are needed immediately.”

Through the ATRIP project, cities and counties across Alabama submit project proposals to the state for funding. The proposals are then analyzed by the Alabama Department of Transportation, and the final projects are submitted to an advisory committee, which, along with Bentley, selects projects for funding.

Selected projects require a 20 percent local match.

The ATRIP project list released on Feb. 4 includes a road resurfacing on Shelby County 47 from Shelby County 49 to Alabama 25, and includes a resurfacing project on Shelby County 29 and Shelby County 14.

The list also includes resurfacing on Shelby County 10 from the Bibb County line to Shelby County 22, on Shelby County 12 from Shelby County 22 to Shelby Street and on Shelby County 26 from U.S. 31 to Alabama 70.

Resurfacing projects were also listed on Valleydale Road from Shelby County 29 to U.S. 280 and on Shelby County 91 from the Shelby County 261 intersection to pavement end. Hoover also received approval for a resurfacing project from Hugh Daniel Drive from U.S. 280 to Shelby County 41.

The ATRIP list included improvements at the Shelby County 52-Shelby County 13 intersection and the Shelby County 52 and Shelby County 93 intersection.

The list included a bridge replacement project on Shelby County 55 over Muddy Prong Creek, and bridge widening projects on Shelby County 52 over Buck Creek and over the Cahaba River.

Shelby County and Alabaster received state approval for a bridge replacement, new turn lanes and resurfacing on Thompson Road from about 1,300 feet west of Warrior Drive to Alabama 119.