Residents on both the east and west side of Cullman County will see road projects next year from the pair of paving projects slated for 2023 under terms set forth by the gas taxed-funded Rebuild Alabama program.

At its regular meeting last week, the Cullman County Commission approved the county’s annually-required transportation plan, which for the coming year includes the resurfacing of extended stretches of County Road 1807 near Joppa, as well as County Road 813, which connects U.S. Highway 278 West with the Trimble area of Smith Lake.

To pay for the work, the county has agreed with the State of Alabama to exchange funds typically provided for road projects each year through the more-restrictive Federal Aid program, and in their place accept approximately $400,000 in state highway funds to help pay for the two projects’ estimated $1.6 million total cost.

In the exchange, the Alabama Highway Department will receive the Federal Aid funds in the county’s stead, using the money to fund projects that focus on state and U.S. highways (rather than county-owned roads) that fall within its broad maintenance system.

The remaining $1.2 million of the two projects’ cost will come from Rebuild Alabama revenues, which the state awards to qualifying municipal road projects out of the incrementally staggered tax — now at $.10 per gallon — that was approved by the state legislature and Gov. Kay Ivey in 2019.

County Road 1807, which runs from its starting point near Marshall County at Joppa southward to New Harmony Road (CR 1805), will see a 4.72-mile resurfacing next year. On the west side, 7.8 miles of County Road 813, which starts in the Spring Hill community and meanders southward toward the lake, are scheduled for repaving.

County officials said the work on both projects will begin when the warm-weather paving season arrives next spring.