𝐄𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲

Elmore County is moving forward with one of its largest road improvement efforts in recent history as county leaders approve a paving and infrastructure plan that will invest millions of dollars into improving roads and bridges across the county.

The Elmore County Commission recently approved a combination of Rebuild Alabama transportation projects and the Enhance Elmore paving plan that will bring more than 75 miles of resurfacing, striping and roadway improvements during the upcoming construction cycle.

The projects represent a major investment in maintaining infrastructure as Elmore County continues to experience growth and increased demand on its transportation network.

“This represents one of the most significant infrastructure investments our county has ever pursued,” Elmore County Commission Chairman Bart Mercer said. “Through the Rebuild Alabama Program and the Enhance Elmore Program, the Commission has positioned more than $16.7 million in road and bridge improvements across Elmore County, assuming we receive the competitive grant awards.”

Mercer said the county is using local funding to leverage additional transportation investments.

“While that includes only about $2.8 million in County funds through Rebuild Alabama, we are leveraging those dollars into more than $11.38 million in transportation projects,” Mercer said. “These projects will improve safety, extend the life of our roads and bridges, and strengthen our infrastructure for years to come.”

According to Elmore County Chief Engineer and Operations Officer Luke McGinty, the county has been able to expand its transportation investments through funding made available through Rebuild Alabama and the federal aid exchange program.

McGinty said the county now averages about $2 million annually in Rebuild Alabama revenue and federal aid exchange funds, allowing the county to use local dollars as matching funds for larger transportation projects.

The Rebuild Alabama projects include improvements to major roadways such as Redland Road, Rifle Range Road and Ceaserville Road, which are part of the county’s transportation improvement plan. Additional projects include bridge improvements and safety upgrades at key intersections.

“If you take the total cost of those projects, add in the striping and the Enhance Elmore paving package, you’re talking over $14.7 million worth of paving in 2027,” McGinty said.

McGinty said the Enhance Elmore paving plan represents the largest locally funded resurfacing program the county has completed.

The Enhance Elmore plan includes approximately $5.4 million in locally funded resurfacing projects and will address roads throughout the county, including several lower-volume rural roads that have historically been difficult to prioritize.

“We didn’t necessarily do it based on traffic volume,” McGinty said. “We reached out to some of those more rural roads that typically would not get resurfaced and tried to include those with this one-time funding.”

The county uses a detailed process to determine which roads receive improvements. McGinty said every paved county road is inspected on a regular cycle and evaluated based on road conditions, maintenance needs, citizen concerns and traffic volume.

Elmore County Commissioner Henry Hines said the scope of the approved projects represents a significant investment in the county’s future.

“That’s a major investment in the safety and quality of our transportation system,” Hines said. “I can’t wait for the contractors to get started and begin improving many of the roads we’ve heard concerns about from our citizens for years.”

McGinty said maintaining more than 800 miles of paved county roads remains an ongoing challenge, with rising construction costs and increased demand continuing to impact transportation budgets.

The upcoming projects provide an opportunity to address long-standing infrastructure needs and strengthen the county’s transportation system as Elmore County continues to grow.

“This is a big investment,” McGinty said. “It’s something that will have an impact for years.”