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St. Clair County secures Safe Streets funding and pursues BUILD and ARC planning grants, staff says
Summary
Grants coordinator Candice Hill told the commission the county won a $504,000 Safe Streets for All award (total package including match $630,000) and is reapplying for a USDOT BUILD grant for US 411 while using an ARC planning grant for an economic-development strategy; commissioners discussed next steps for planning, matching and an upcoming advocacy trip to Washington, D.C.
Candice Hill, who manages grants and the St. Clair County leadership program, updated the commission on several grant victories and pending applications intended to advance road safety and economic development.
"It's $504,000 in grant funding, and altogether with the match is $630,000," Hill said, describing the recent Safe Streets for All award and the county’s plan to use the funds for temporary and targeted safety strategies such as striping and limited pavement improvements.
Hill said the county will finish the regional Safe Streets plan under the award and will be well positioned to compete for implementation funding in the next federal round. She said the county also plans to resubmit a BUILD grant application for improvements on US Highway 411 and is working with a federal advocate (she referenced Senator Brooke’s office) to support the submittal and to secure planning dollars that would allow the project to be included on the Transportation Improvement Plan.
Separately, Hill said the county received an ARC "Grants to Grow" award to support an economic development strategic plan; public input sessions are planned to collect priorities from cities and towns across the county and staff intends to use the ARC planning work to guide budget and capital priorities. Hill said the county will hold an outreach/partnership breakfast on Feb. 19 tied to the planning process and noted Innovate Alabama will announce a funding decision on Feb. 9 for a separate application.
Why it matters: The Safe Streets award and the ARC planning grant supply near-term resources for safety measures and long‑range economic planning, while the BUILD grant resubmission could unlock federal dollars for major improvements on US 411. Collectively these grants would affect transportation, pedestrian safety, and local economic-investment priorities.
What happens next: Staff will finalize grant paperwork, pursue implementation funding for Safe Streets projects, conduct public input sessions tied to the ARC planning grant, and the county delegation will take an advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., in February to pursue BUILD funding and other priorities.
