Gadsden — The Gadsden City Council took two related actions aimed at advancing a federal RAISE grant application for improvements to Meighan/Megan Boulevard.

First, the council adopted a resolution authorizing a public hearing to be held Jan. 7 at 11 a.m. to seek public input on the proposed 2025 RAISE grant project, which the city describes as widening the bridge over the Coosa River and the Lake Street bridge and adding travel lanes and sidewalks.

Mayor Craig Ford said the hearing is a necessary administrative step to apply for the federal grant and stressed the city is being proactive while acknowledging there is no guarantee the grant will be awarded. "This is a necessary step to apply for this grant," he said.

Later in the meeting, the council approved a separate resolution authorizing the planning application for the RAISE grant with a total project planning cost of $4,620,550. Councilman Wilson noted RAISE grants are federally funded at an 80/20 match rate; the city’s share for the planning portion would be $924,110 if the application succeeds.

Council discussion framed the project as a response to existing traffic bottlenecks and a step toward making parts of the city more walkable and accessible. Officials said the bridge structures cannot adequately handle current and projected traffic levels and cited first-responder travel concerns.

Both actions were approved by voice vote after suspension of the rules to consider them under new business. No detailed engineering schedules, grant application materials or environmental reviews were provided during the council discussion.