With a fresh infusion of federal COVID-19 relief funds and a series of recent and upcoming state grants, the Cullman County Commission is hoping this year to scale up its annual paving and repair program on local rural roads.

At its regular meeting this week, the commission cleared the way for the county economic development office to seek a combined $1.2 million in grant funds through the state’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), all of which, if awarded, would fund the repair or complete replacement of small two-lane bridges on six county roads.

If approved through the state Emergency Management Agency-administered program, the county would be responsible for putting up 25 percent of the estimated $1.2 million project cost. Bridges targeted by the project include portions of County Roads 986, 1273, 1352, 1427, 1447, and 1508.

In three of those locations, the bridges aren’t even there, having been collapsed or damaged beyond repair from flooding during severe weather events last year. The county also plans to seek grant funding to supplement repair costs of three additional bridges damaged in recent floods, though that separate application process will likely be addressed at a future meeting.

Though most of the bridges are small and located on relatively remote rural side roads, their absence is a major inconvenience for residents who live nearby. In cases where the bridges have been closed altogether, residents who previously relied on them have been forced to find alternate ways to come and go from their homes.

“It’s a big deal when it affects you, and we’re thankful to be able to seek and hopefully get these grant funds to get some relief for residents who are affected by it,” said commission chairman Jeff Clemons.

“There’s just not a lot of money to go around for roads in most years, and our legislative delegation has been really good about helping us identify ways to obtain grant funds. Our economic development office has worked hard to go after these and other grants, and we’re hoping to tackle a lot more of our road needs throughout the county once our summer paving season begins.”

The county commission also plans to use $10 million from its portion of relief money under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to address road needs throughout the county, and has a more flexible timeline — approximately five years — to conceive and implement those projects based on need. Clemons said the commission will begin deliberating on the first round of ARPA-funded road projects as agenda items up for approval at commission meetings in the near future.