On Thursday, State Senator Chris Elliott (R-Daphne) placed a hold on two Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) contracts for design work on the West Alabama Highway – Governor Kay Ivey’s promised Mobile to Florence West Alabama five-lane highway project. The Senator placed the hold during Thursday’s Joint Legislative Contract Review Committee meeting.
Sen. Elliott spoke with Alabama Today about the situation Friday. Elliott said he is not opposed to the project but was concerned about the funding mechanism and the cost.
“They have no idea,” Sen. Elliott said. “They quoted three different numbers yesterday. First, it was $800 million, then it was a billion, and then it was $1.1 billion. They don’t know.”
Elliott said that he was concerned that ALDOT was rushing the project forward.
“They are trying to lock this down while she (Ivey) is still in there,” Elliott said.
Yellowhammer News asked the Senator why no federal dollars are being used for this project even though Highway 41 is a U.S. Highway.
“They never asked,” Elliott said of ALDOT. “They are not going to ask. They said something about getting those federal grants is too difficult, and they have not had luck in the past.”
Elliott said he was concerned that because of “the way they are doing it, they might be leaving federal money on the table.”
Elliott expressed skepticism about the numbers given by the administration.
“This is intentional lowballing,” Elliott said, citing the two mega prisons the state is building as an example. “Yes, concrete has gone up, but it did not go up over 100 percent. Fuel is up, but it did not go up over 100%. Labor did not go up over 100%.”
In response to Elliott’s hold on the West Alabama Highway project contracts, State Representative Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) vowed to block all ALDOT contracts in response to Elliott’s opposing the West Alabama five-lane project.
“Whatever is going to happen, it will be resolved within 45 days,” Elliott said.
Elliott explained that members of the contract review committee can place a hold on a contract for 45 days. The only thing missing on the contracts is the Governor’s signature. At the end of 45 days, the Governor may sign the contract whether or not legislators are opposed.
“Rep England and I are going to meet with highway department officials this week,” Elliott said.
West Alabama officials insist that the West Alabama five-lane highway project is necessary for economic development and so residents can access services like healthcare. Ivey has promised that no county will lack four-lane highway access to an interstate. This project is part of her effort to fulfill that promise.
Alabama Today also attempted to reach out to Rep. England for his comments.
In a heated hearing on Thursday, ALDOT Engineer Clay McBrien told Elliott that the project cost could be over $1 billion – this is up from earlier estimates of $767 million.
The Mayor of Thomasville hosted a press conference for West Alabama Mayors earlier this week to gain support for the project. West Alabama Mayors insist that the project is needed for economic development and so their communities can more easily access services such as health care.
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