Brompton community residents have had numerous issues with the Trails End Lane railroad crossing in Moody. Plans are in place with funding from the Community Development Block Grant to create an alternate route. Photo by Arthur Phillips

Governor Kay Ivey awarded more than $6.3 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to assist 26 Alabama towns, cities and counties in improving their communities, including the Town of Ragland and the St. Clair County Commission.

Governor Ivey said the CDBG program enables communities to address needed projects that affect the health and welfare of residents.

“Lives will be improved today thanks to these projects funded through the Community Development Block Grant program,” Ivey said. “People who have been subject to impure water will get clean water to drink, bathe and wash. People who have been maneuvering unsafe roads will soon be traveling smooth streets and the list goes on. I am so thankful for this program and the assistance it provides to communities who may be unable to afford these needed improvements on their own.”

Most CDBG funds are awarded annually in several categories through a competitive process based on many factors including the number of low- and moderate-income families affected, community need and cost efficiency of projects.

The Town of Ragland was awarded a grant for $28,000, which will be used for a downtown revitalization plan. 

“This is just the beginning, phase one,” Ragland town clerk Penny Owens said. “During the tornado we lost our library…our plan is to rebuild and spruce up downtown.”

The St. Clair County Commission also received a grant in the amount of $350,000 to solve an ongoing transportation issue in the Brompton community of Moody. Local residents have been blocked by the train crossing at the Trails End Lane intersection, an ongoing problem over the course of several years. People in the community set up a dedicated Facebook page in 2013, Brompton Crossing Alternate Route, to gather information and document the problem.

“I think the community most looks forward to having the security of knowing that if they need help, emergency personnel can reach them,” said Sherri Wray, a Brompton resident who began the Brompton Crossing Alternate Route Facebook page. “They (community) are also looking forward to having freedom to come and go from their neighborhood as they please, whether it be for work, doctor visits, school, or just to play.”

The Community Development Block Grant will help fund a portion of extending the road and creating an alternate route.

“We hope that the City of Moody will soon find a solution for our Dragline Road neighbors as well,” Wray continued. “There are still people in Brompton that need help. We can’t forget that. We are very thankful for the help we are receiving from ADECA and the CDBG grant.”

Additional funds for the project come from several sources. The Alabama Department of Transportation will fund $227,557, Norfolk Southern Railroad is funding $60,000, and the St. Clair County Commission is funding $90,550 in addition to the $350,000 Community Development Block Grant funds. 

The project will cost an estimated total of $740,000, which will encompass an environmental review, acquisition of property, and additional road construction. The project, once started, is expected to take approximately six months to complete.

“We are very glad that we will be able to help the people in the Brompton community,” said St. Clair County Commission Chairman Paul Manning.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“As a former mayor, I am aware of how important these grants are to these communities and the impact that they have in improving the quality of life,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “I join with Gov. Ivey in congratulating the towns, cities and counties that have been awarded grants. Those involved in this process are to be commended for their dedication and hard work they have provided for their communities.”

The grant announcements are in the categories of planning, Black Belt, community enhancement and county. Planning grants are awarded to guide municipalities in orderly growth, revitalization or development. Black Belt grants are designed to assist communities in Alabama’s poorest counties, which are located along a southern stretch. Community Enhancement grants address a wide range of projects. 

Last week’s ceremony in Montgomery was the first round of CDBG announcements. The Governor plans to announce another round of CDBG awards on February 1.