Chilton County staff seek participation in $2 million ATIP 2 grant for SR 191 intersection, warn county may cover overruns

County road department staff told the Chilton County Commission during a work session that the county received a $2 million ATIP 2 grant to improve the intersection of State Road 191 and County Road 50 and recommended the commission participate in the settlement and accept the award.

“Our ATIP 2 grant was awarded for $2 million for improving the intersection of State Road 191 and County Road 50. And we received the maximum $2 million,” Road Department staff said. Staff said they will place a resolution on the commission agenda to acknowledge the award and the program’s conditions.

The engineering consultant’s preliminary work indicated the project may be achievable by cutting a hill and raising the intersection without major realignment or utility relocations, staff said, but they cautioned that full design and bids could reveal additional costs. “Per the ATIP 2 policy that the costs do overrun the $2 million that the county commission would have to fund those additional cost,” staff told the commission.

Commissioners and staff noted one potential right-of-way purchase on the northwest corner of the intersection where a brick house sits, which could require negotiation and possible acquisition. Staff also said the engineering firm did not identify major utility relocations that would increase costs but added that actual bids and final design could change estimates.

Next steps: staff will present a resolution at the commission’s regular meeting to authorize formal participation in the ATIP 2 grant and to acknowledge the county’s responsibility for any cost overruns. If commissioners approve the resolution, staff will proceed with the design and right-of-way negotiations and report back as bids and estimates become available.