COLONY, Ala. – Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday announced she has awarded nearly $19.3 million to provide improvements in 49 Alabama towns, cities and counties. In Cullman County, the Town of Colony received a $399,827 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for road improvements.
Roadways in Colony that will be repaired are Colony Road, Johnson Circle and Ward Hill Road. Funds will be used to patch and overlay asphalt.
Colony Councilwoman Mary Parker, who oversees the Town’s road department, said, “That should cover a lot on these roads. I know we’re not the only community with bad roads, but other communities are able to get way more money than we can. So, that was a blessing.”
The council applied for the grant about eight months ago. Parker said she was pleasantly surprised by how quickly they received the grant. “We’ve been needing them fixed for a few years now.”
Parker estimated the roadwork will begin next spring.
The Colony Town Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. and will discuss the exact allocation of the funds at its next meeting when engineers can provide estimates for the repair of each road.
Ivey said in the press release, “Community Development Block Grants help communities address major needs whether it be supplying clean drinking water or eliminating dilapidated and unsafe structures. I congratulate the cities and counties who received grants in this keenly competitive process, and I wish them the best in improving their communities.”
The CDBG program in Alabama is awarded annually on a competitive basis in several categories: small city (population 2,999 or less), large city (population 3,000 or more), county and community enhancement. Planning grants are also awarded to help local governments examine needs and provide a vision for the future.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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