By By Kerry Whipple Bean – publisher
What has been 40 years in the making is on its way to becoming a reality as officials from Alabama and Florida gathered near Flomaton Tuesday to symbolically break ground for construction on Alabama 113.
Bondurant was speaking of the culmination of events that have led to the construction phase of a four-lane road that will span the 14-mile strip of highway that leads from U.S. 31 to I-65 north of Flomaton.
With $4 million in assistance from Escambia County, Fla., officials with the Escambia County Commission, the town of Flomaton and Gov. Bob Riley joined for the special ceremony. The construction of the project, which was approved in August of last year, is expected to begin today with prep work and should be completed in the spring of 2009, according to officials with Riley's office.
The project is being made possible through funding from several sources. Alabama is committing $20 to the project with the city of Flomaton and Escambia County, Alabama each providing $500,000 each to the project. Escambia County, Fla., has committed to contributing $4 million to bring the project to completion.
Riley heaped praises on Bondurant for his tenacity in seeing the project through to the point of construction.
Bondurant said the project would not have been possible if not for the cooperation of officials in Escambia County, Fla.
J.R. Jones, chairman of the Flomaton Chamber of Commerce, said the project not only benefits the Flomaton community but will benefit many other areas as well.
Officials on the state and local level believe the project will also have economic impacts on the region.
State Department of Transportation Director Joe McKinnish agreed.
One of the purposes of the new construction is to help during emergency situations connected with hurricane evacuations.
Riley said Alabamians have found out that hurricanes know no boundaries and when evacuations are needed, four lanes of traffic can't be put onto two lanes for very long.