There will be more than $17 million in road and bridge improvement projects in Covington County, thanks in large part to ATRIP funding announced Monday by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (ATRIP), funded with a state bond issue, provides matching funds for road and bridge projects across the state. Nine of the 302 projects announced are in Covington County, and include a new bridge, seven resurfacing projects and one major improvement project in Andalusia.
Andalusia will receive the lion’s share of the $13.6 million in bond funds announced Monday.
The almost $8.6 million awarded to the city will require a local match of $2.1 million and will be used to bring South Three Notch Street to the standards of East Three Notch and River Falls streets, complete with underground utilities, new sidewalks, and decorative lighting.
Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson was traveling when contacted with the news.
“Fantastic!” he said.
He said he and others worked hard to convince the state highway director and the governor’s office to fund the project. Both visited Andalusia to look at the project, he said. He also expressed his appreciation to Rep. Mike Jones.
Now the city must put together $2.1 million in local funds for the project.
“We’ve got to,” the mayor said. “This is $8 from the state for every $2 we spend, when normally, the best you can hope for is a dollar-for-dollar match. We won’t likely see this again in our lifetimes.
“You’ve got to hit while the iron is hot,” he said. “This is one of the situations we can’t afford to walk away from.”
Other Covington County projects announced Monday were:
• $156,600 to resurface County Road 45 from Andalusia city limits;
• $2.3 million to resurface County Road 42 (Airport Road) from Andalusia to Brooklyn;
• $757,700 to resurface County Road 4 to the Geneva county line;
• $257,000 for a new bridge on County Road 25 over Eden Creek;
• $430,000 to resurface County Road 73;
• $718,600 to resurface County Road 42 from U.S. Hwy. 84 to County Road 77;
• $523,600 to resurface County Road 42 from Country Road 77 to Opp city limits.
“It’s a great day for Covington County,” said county engineer Darren Capps. Each of the county’s submitted road projects – which equated to 34.4 miles of roadway – was funded, he said.
“These are some of the county’s worst roads that are in very bad need of resurfacing,” he said.
Opp was awarded $606,200 to resurface West Cummings Avenue from Main Street to U.S. Hwy. 84.
City planner Jason Bryan said the more than five miles of roadway has been a problem “for years.”
“We’re proud of this award,” Bryan said. “It’s wonderful news. This section of highway has been a major problem in town that’s needed to be addressed for years.”
This was the third round of funding announced, bringing the total projects funded to 439. At least one additional round of ATRIP funding is scheduled. Eligible projects not selected in previous funding rounds are once again eligible to be submitted. Deadline for submitting applications for the next round of funding is May 31, and Capps said he plans to submit plans for other projects.
- Andalusia Star News
There will be more than $17 million in road and bridge improvement projects in Covington County, thanks in large part to ATRIP funding announced Monday by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (ATRIP), funded with a state bond issue, provides matching funds for road and bridge projects across the state. Nine of the 302 projects announced are in Covington County, and include a new bridge, seven resurfacing projects and one major improvement project in Andalusia.
Andalusia will receive the lion’s share of the $13.6 million in bond funds announced Monday.
The almost $8.6 million awarded to the city will require a local match of $2.1 million and will be used to bring South Three Notch Street to the standards of East Three Notch and River Falls streets, complete with underground utilities, new sidewalks, and decorative lighting.
Other Covington County projects announced Monday were:
Funded projects include:
• $123,672 to resurface County Road 45 from Andalusia city limits;
• $1.8 million to resurface County Road 42 from Andalusia to Brooklyn;
• $285,000 for a new bridge on County Road 25 over Eden Creek;
• $344,000 to resurface County Road 73;
• $575,000 to resurface County Road 42 from U.S. Hwy. 84 to County Road 77;
• $419,000 to resurface County Road 42 from Country Road 77 to Opp city limits.
Opp was awarded $606,200 to resurface West Cummings Avenue from Main Street to U.S. Hwy. 84.
This was the third round of funding announced, bringing the total projects funded to 439. At least one additional round of ATRIP funding is scheduled. Eligible projects not selected in previous funding rounds are once again eligible to be submitted. Deadline for submitting applications for the next round of funding is May 31.
- Andalusia Star News
Greatest Small Cities
Compiled by Charles Nathan Anderson, Revised January 2013
1. Gettysburg, Penn.
2. Montrose, Colo.
3. Bellmont, N.C.
4. Concord, N.H.
5. Summerville, S.C.
6. Cedar City, Utah
7. Christiansburg, Va.
8. Seward, Neb.
9. Cody, Wyo.
10. Georgetown, Ky.
11. Windsor, Colo.
12. Watkinsville, Ga.
13. Bentonville, Ark.
14. Clemson, S.C.
15. Murray, Ky.
16. Beaufort, N.C.
17. Oxford, Miss.
18. Athens, Ohio
19. Greeneville, Tenn.
20. Paola, Kansa
21. Belfast, Maine
22. Palisade, Colo.
23. Livingston, Mont.
24. Brevard, N.C.
25. Keene, N.W.
26. Twin Falls, Idaho
27. Lexington, S.C.
28. Simpsonville, S.C.
29. Klamath Falls, Ore.
30. Waterloo, Ill.
31. Athens, TEnn.
32. Traverse City, Mich.
33. Venice, Fla.
34. Logan, Utah
35. Dahlongega, Ga.
36. Clayton, N.C.
37. Spearfish, S.D.
38. Abingdon, Va.
39. Fulton, Mo.
40. Milford, Dela.
41. Carlisle, Penn.
42. Boerne, Texas
43. Canyon, Texas
44. Helena, Mont.
45. Dunedin, Fla.
46. Saint Marys, Ga.
47. Pella, Iowa
48. Gothenburg, Neb.
49. Andalusia, Ala.
50. Hagerstown, Md.
51. Pendleton, Ore.
52. Farmville, Va.
53. Middletown, Conn.
54. Canon City, Colo.
55. Frankly, Ky.
56. Georgetown, Texas
57. Aiken, S.C.
58. Searcy, Ark.
59. Collierville, Tenn.
60. Fairhope, Ala.
- Andalusia Star News
Andalusia is one of the best small cities in America, according to a retired high school geography and civics teacher who spent more than 50 years researching his list.
Charles Anderson, 73, used a number of factors to rate his small cities, each of which he personally visited. He was looking for progressive communities that were aesthetically pleasing, had a moderate climate, and their own identity. He also looked for accessibility to other cities; good local health care, schools, employment and the cost of living. Entertainment opportunities, the state in which the city is located, and personal safety factors also were used to whittle his list.
In Alabama, he found two small cities which made the In Search of Eden list: Andalusia, (No. 49), and Fairhope, (No. 60). Andalusia got the edge, he said, because the cost of living is much more reasonable. Full list.
Why Andalusia?
“Snowbirds looking for a pretty town with mild winters, nestled in a pleasing, gently rolling countryside, should consider Alabama’s best kept secret … Andalusia.
“Located a short distance north of the highest point in Florida (about 25 miles), the city is an easy day trip from some of Florida’s best beaches.
“Andalusia’s grand courthouse overlooks a spacious commons area in the city’s lovely downtown,” he wrote. “Housing (and living) costs are much lower here than in Southern Alabama’s other great small city, Fairhope.”
“For what you have to offer, you’re a much better value for the dollar,” Anderson said Friday. “There’s lots going on in your town, and it’s pretty around there.”
Anderson splits his time between Michigan and Winter Haven, Fla. He said he first learned about Andalusia when his son was a college student in Dothan. He said he has spent years taking his time and back roads when he traveled to research the cities on his list.
Thirty-seven years ago, he had an opportunity to sell his Top 60 list to The Saturday Evening Post.
“Ultimately, I decided that I wanted more time to travel and fine tune my selections,” he said. “It would have sold as presented, but I would have been left responsible for any reader who made a move based on research that was less than my best.”
Originally, he hoped to write a book, but he lost a nearly-complete manuscript in a propane explosion. At 73, he said, it is time to share the life’s work that has been his obsession.
So he’s contacting newspapers in each of the 60 small cities, and will develop a web site with his information. He also has a list of the 40 best cities. Athens and Florence are the only Alabama locations on that list, which also includes Carrollton, Ga., Port Saint Joe, Fla., and St. Augustine, Fla.
In early versions of his list, he said, he included many small cities in California. Now, there’s only one, Fortuna, on the list of cities, because housing is extremely expensive and most can’t afford to live in the state.
Through the years, he’s read similar “best of” lists created by entities like Money Magazine and other publications.
“Most of the time, I read them and thought, ‘They don’t really know what they’re talking about,’ ” he said, adding that it was obvious the authors hadn’t visited all of the places.
He has.
“Modesty aside, I sincerely believe that my list is the best ever compiled,” he said. “A degree in geography from a Big Ten University and countless hours of investigation has given me, I think, an advantage over the competition. Not every city will fit every family; but my hundred cities can be a really good place for seekers to begin their Eden search.”
As for Andalusia, he believes it’s an undiscovered treasure.
“You’re kind of hidden where you’re at,” he said. “There’s a lot of people in Michigan, if they knew what a great and affordable place you had. Well, it’d get a lot more crowded.”
- Andalusia Star News
Power outages were rampant throughout the county as Wednesday’s severe weather made its way through.
County EMA director Susan Harris said while no official report was given for the outages, she did hear from some residents.
“I do know we had some issues due to the wind and trees down in two locations,” Harris said. “We had one car damaged because of a flying fence.”
Lights began flickering as early as 10 a.m. in Andalusia. A tree down in the Green Acres Subdivision caused outages for nearly an hour, while another downed tree on U.S. Hwy. 29 North near Wagon Wheel Road caused other outages.
After lunch, the outages began to affect Opp and just before 3 p.m., Florala and Lockhart were reportedly without power. Winds did damage a section of Betty’s Best Bang fireworks stand in Florala, the owner said.
All billboard near the Andalusia Verizon Store also was damaged.
As the afternoon progressed, rain continued to fall and the wind continued to whip, but luckily, no other damage was reported, Harris said.
- Andalusia Star News