Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced the inclusion of funding for seven member designated projects in Alabama’s 7th District in the INVEST in America Act which passed in the House of Representatives on Thursday in a vote of 221 to 201. This $715 billion surface transportation reauthorization and water infrastructure bill would create good-paying jobs to rebuild and reimagine America’s surface transportation infrastructure, with investments in roads, bridges, transit, rail, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Rep. Sewell directly secured the inclusion of seven member designated construction projects which would account for nearly $20 million in federal funding to Alabama’s 7th District. 

“For too long, Congress has failed to act boldly, leaving our country with congested roads, failing sewer systems, lead pipes, and unsafe bridges,” said Rep. Sewell. “The INVEST in America Act is a transformative bill that would finally make critically important investments in our transportation infrastructure. I am so proud to have secured funding for seven projects in Alabama’s 7th District which would deliver almost $20 million to our community to fix our roads and bridges. With this bill, we are truly building back better in the 21st century.”

The INVEST in America Act would fund key projects in Alabama’s 7th District:

Rep. Sewell secured the inclusion of nearly $20 million for the following projects in Alabama’s 7th District:

• Choctaw County – Resurfacing on US 84
  • Funding Included: $1,616,000.00
  • Project Sponsor: ALDOT
  • Location: SR-12 from SR-17 to 1.6 miles East of CR-6 
• Dallas County – Bridge Replacement on SR-14
  • Funding Included: $6,239,938.87
  • Project Sponsor: ALDOT
  • Location: SR-14 at Blue Girth Swamp (Bin 1556 and 1557)
• Greene and Pickens County – Bridge Replacement on SR-14 over the Sipsey River
  • Funding Included: $3,296,963.20
  • Project Sponsor: ALDOT
  • Location: SR-14 over the Sipsey River 
• Jefferson County – Streetscaping along Civil Rights District Freedom Trail
  • Funding Included: $2,000,000.00
  • Project Sponsor: City of Birmingham DOT
  • Location: 4th Ave N. from 15th to 19th St. N., 5th Ave N. from 11th St. N. to 1800 Block, 6th/7th Ave N from 14th to 17th St. N., 15th/16th St. N. from 3rd Ave N. to 8th Aly N., 17th St. N. from 3rd Ave Aly N. to Rev Abr Woods Jr. Blvd, 18th St N. from 3rd to 4th Ave N. 
• Jefferson County – Streetscaping on Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard
  • Funding Included: $1,969,664.00
  • Project Sponsor: City of Birmingham DOT
  • Location: Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard from 15th Ave. South to Valley Ave.
• Marengo County – Resurfacing on US-43
  • Funding Included: $1,616,000.00
  • Project Sponsor: ALDOT
  • Location: SR-13 (US-43) from Oakley Ave to 12 Link Road 
• Montgomery County – Bridge Replacement on CR-39
  • Funding Included: $2,339,717.12
  • Project Sponsor: Montgomery Metro Planning Organization
  • Location: CR-39 (Woodley Road) at White Slough and Tributary

The INVEST in America Act would also:

• Designate U.S. Route 80 as the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Highway to honor the life and legacy of civil rights icon and former Congressman, the late John Lewis.
• Address blocked railway crossings by creating a new standalone railway crossing program and imposing a 10-minute time limit on blocking public highway-rail grade crossing. It also creates a national blocked crossing database and provides $25 million for a new grant program focused on reducing rail-crossing related accidents.
• Re-establish the DOT Transportation Equity Research Program which authorizes research on the impacts of surface transportation planning, investment, and operations.
• Invest in public transportation for rural and underserved communities by setting aside $50 million per year to be administered through the rural persistent poverty formula grant for public transportation.

For a more comprehensive list of funding highlights, click here.