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Gadsden holds public hearing on RAISE planning grant for Megan Boulevard corridor
Summary
City engineers described a planning grant application to study widening Megan Boulevard (State Route 1/US 431) including bridge work and sidewalks; the grant would fund design and environmental work but not construction. Estimated total cost $4,620,550; city match $924,110.
Gadsden City Council held a public hearing on a proposed 2025 RAISE planning grant to study improvements to Megan Boulevard (State Route 1/US 431) from North Third Street to Goodyear Avenue, city engineer Heath Williamson said.
The planning-phase grant application estimates the project cost at $4,620,550, with a 20% city match of $924,110. Williamson said the planning grant would cover engineering, design, survey, permitting and environmental work; it would not fund construction.
"This grant won't take us into construction," Williamson said. He told the council the grant would produce plans and the information needed to pursue an implementation grant and partner with the Alabama Department of Transportation for construction.
Williamson described corridor problems that the planning work would address: lack of sidewalks, heavy pedestrian crossings, and bridge bottlenecks where the roadway narrows. The application covers the full Beacon Boulevard corridor from North Third Street to Goodyear Avenue, including the bridge over the Coosa River and a Lake Street bridge before the Hood Avenue intersection.
City staff encouraged public input. A council member said a community survey is available online and the city has paper surveys on hand for attendees. Ruth Moffett offered to distribute printed surveys during the meeting and collect them before attendees left. Staff said they will post the survey link on the city website and the city's social media channels and will include survey results with the grant application because community input is a factor in grant scoring.
If the planning grant is awarded, Williamson said the city would move into detailed design and then pursue an implementation (construction) grant. No construction timeline was provided during the hearing.
The engineering department will submit public comments with the grant application; staff did not announce a decision date for grant awards.
