Terri Sewell secures $17 million for Tuscaloosa’s University Boulevard corridor

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Congresswoman Terri Sewell announced the City of Tuscaloosa has received $17,149,167 in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s(DOT) Federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program. The funding will be used to support the city’s Tuscaloosa University Boulevard Corridor project for infrastructure improvements.

In a press release, Sewell commented, “This is great news for the City of Tuscaloosa and its partners! Investing in our infrastructure provides cities with the revenue they need to not only rebuild but modernize and make room for new innovative development. I applaud the City of Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama, and the Alabama Department of Transportation for working together to rebuild and revitalize this community. These are the types of funding opportunities that will ensure that the 7th Congressional District can build back better!”

According to the DOT website, the program selection criteria for the grants included safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders. The grants also wanted to ensure each project would create good-paying jobs, improve safety, apply transformative technology, and address climate change and advance racial equity.

The RAISE funding will help with technology upgrades, stormwater drainage improvements, and expand pedestrian access from residential areas to institutional and retail areas in Tuscaloosa.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox expressed excitement about the new project.

“The City of Tuscaloosa could not be more thrilled to be among the recipients of the Department of Transportation’s RAISE Grant. These funds will give us the opportunity to make improvements to one of the major arteries connecting all of Tuscaloosa and will provide better connectivity across our community,” said stated Maddox. “The enhancements that will be made to the University Blvd corridor will include increased storm drain capacity, streetscape enhancements, advancements in security and safety measures, and the inclusion of bike lanes and underground utilities in several locations.”

The RAISE grant program was previously known as the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants. Congress has dedicated nearly $8.9 billion for twelve rounds of National Infrastructure Investments to fund projects that have a significant local or regional impact.