Thanks to the efforts of U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), Marshall County will receive $16.17 million to replace Swayback Bridge on Hustleville Road in Albertville.
The funds come from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
"This is tremendous news for Marshall County and for the thousands of residents, school buses, emergency vehicles, farmers and businesses that depend on the Swayback Bridge every day," Aderholt said. "Anyone who has driven this stretch of road understands why this project has been such a priority. Replacing this aging bridge will make travel safer, improve reliability, and strengthen an important transportation corridor for years to come."
The county began the grant application process in January, seeking $17,678,952 through the BUILD program. Aderholt said he wrote directly to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urging consideration of the county's application.
“The fact that Marshall County received Alabama's only BUILD Grant this year speaks to both the strength of this application and the critical need for this investment,” Aderholt said. "I want to congratulate the Marshall County Commission and Commission Chairman John Young and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this application together. Their persistence and vision made today's announcement possible. I look forward to seeing construction begin and to the lasting benefits this project will provide for the people of Marshall County."
The project includes demolishing the current bridge, built in the 1960s, and replacing it with a new one in the same spot. The current bridge is 470 feet long, 20 feet wide and approximately 75 feet high with a vertical sag at its midpoint, dropping the road below either side. County Engineer Michael Knop said the bridge sees over 4,000 vehicles per day, 10% of which are large trucks.
The new bridge will be 1,000 feet long, 40 feet wide and over 150 feet high. This would level out the sag in the bridge and allow for wider lanes and shoulders. About 2,000 feet of roadway would be removed and repaved, Knop said, and a water line running along the bridge would be relocated.
“We are obviously excited and thankful to be awarded a $16.17 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace the Swayback Bridge on Hustleville Road,” Young said. “Commissioner Joey Baker and the Marshall County Engineering Department, over the last three years, have worked tirelessly to get this project funded. We would like to extend a special thanks to Congressman Aderholt, Senator [Katie] Britt, Senator [Tommy] Tuberville, their staff, our local Legislative Delegation and many more for their support.”
Knop said the project will likely be the “biggest undertaking” of his 31-year career with the Marshall County Engineering Department.
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