ELBERTA - The Town of Elberta has lots of projects either underway or preparing to begin within the town. Engineer Alan Killen with Civil Southeast recently discussed the progress of a number of town projects.

One project discussed concerns a drainage study that the town was awarded $25,000 to perform. The study will allow the town to develop a plan for any future grants. Two online surveys have been performed, and the results will be used to develop the drainage standards for the town. Also, Elberta was recently awarded a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant by Governor Kay Ivey. The grant will be used to improve drainage along Baldwin County Road 83 (Main Street) to alleviate flooding.

The next item discussed was the roadway repaving project.

“The town was given $250,000 as part of the Rebuild Alabama Act,” said Killen. “This was the gas tax money that hit 12 - 18 months ago. Part of that was a $10 million grant program that developed where towns can ask for up to $250,000, and so this is the project that was developed.”

Elberta recently received the Rebuild Alabama Act funds at the end of October, and the project went to bid near the end of November. At least three roads will be repaved as part of the project. If funds allow, a fourth road will be added to the work.

The final project discussed involves a $640,000 TAP grant awarded by ALDOT. A 75/25 match is required, with the town’s match equaling approximately $240,000.

“That seems like a lot, and it is a lot, but it will be spread out over the next three fiscal years,” said Killen. “The town’s match this year will be about $13,000, next year will be about $50,000, and then the big ticket will be once construction begins, which we’re estimating fiscal year 2022. So we’ve got lots of time to roll lots of these projects off the books and get the general fund back up.”

The project involves sidewalk improvements along Illinois Street, Pine Street, Chicago Street, Main Street, Highway 98, and Alabama Street.

“Some highlights are that on County Road 83 South we’ll actually be redoing that whole area,” Killen said. “It will be angled parking, and hopefully some pedestrian lighting. The area from Alabama Street up around the Civic Center, it’s a total gut job there as well, new drainage, new parking, new landscaping. Then Illinois Street, Pine Street, that is an area we actually developed because of what we found in the drainage study, there’s some drainage work that needs to be done there and we can use these TAP funds to go about completing the work.”

For more information, check out https://townofelberta.com.