New details released regarding multi-million dollar grant for Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed has released new details about a recently announced multi-million dollar grant for the Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail.
The $36.6 million grant was made possible through a federal program that seeks to expand transportation options and enhance access to essential services like jobs, education, healthcare, food, and recreation. Funding for the program was allocated in President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Mayor Reed tells Action 8 News that the city will use this grant primarily in historic West Montgomery to reverse the persistent effects of segregation, redlining, and the construction of Interstates 65 and 85. It will enhance public open spaces, increase safety and access to public safety amenities, broadband connectivity, zero-emission transportation options, workforce transportation micro-transit, way-finding enhancements, and investments in future development.
It is the largest competitive federal grant ever presented to the city and the second-largest federal appropriation received by the city behind the $42 million it accepted through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Once completed, Mayor Reed says it will improve mobility for all West Montgomery residents, particularly seniors at the City of St. Jude Senior Assisted Living facility, students at George Washington Carver Senior High School and local elementary schools, and the residents of Gibbs Village East and Gibbs Village West housing complexes.
Key elements and infrastructure improvements within the project include:
- Redeveloping a local brownfield site into an EV charging station and microgrid.
- Repaving, striping, adding a bike lane, and landscaping on West Fairview Avenue from the Interstate 65 underpass to the Mobile Highway intersection and Highway 80.
- Establishing an EV Workforce Micro-Transit site and workforce training hub to provide consistent routes to Hyundai, the Inland Port, downtown, the Lagoon Park Industrial Park, hospitals, and other high-demand employers.
- Adding intelligent technologies such as smart lighting, CC cameras, and Wi-Fi hotspots along Mobile Street, South Holt Street, West Fred Gray Avenue, Oak Street, and West Fairview Avenue.
- Laying down an extensive fiber optic infrastructure.
- Upgrading bus stops and covered shelters.
- Enhancing navigation with more historic markers and way-finding kiosks.
- Creating more than 2 miles of sidewalks.
Work is set to begin on the project this fall.
