Local and state legislators came together on Monday, May 1, to celebrate the completion of their years-long joint efforts to expand AL-HWY 157.

Gov. Kay Ivey joined local state legislators and city officials on Monday, where she said the newly expanded highway would play a vital role in the state’s continued efforts to attract new industries to northern Alabama.

“It’s evident industry always chases after infrastructure, and as our economy continues on its record-breaking, upward trajectory, we must continue to ensure Alabama remains connected and traffic flows,” Ivey said. “As North Alabama continues to remain prosperous and abundant with opportunities for growth, the need for a widened highway is more apparent than ever.”

State Sen. Garlan Gudger (R-Dist. 4) said the project will not only serve as a reflection of the area’s recent economic growth, but is a commitment to continue those efforts for future generations.

“As leaders, we are not tasked to just figure out what tomorrow holds or next week or the next year, our job is to make sure that we direct the future of this community for generations to come. This is what 157 and the widening of this road has done. It will allow for future growth and will provide safer travel,” Gudger said.

The project may have broken ground in October 2020, but it has been discussed by city of Cullman officials for more than a decade. In January 2011, former Mayor Max Townson said the project had been discussed during a trip he had recently taken to the nation’s capitol. The following December, former Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed off on $6.5 million in funding to replace to bridges on they highway — one at the Cullman Stockyards and the other at Lake Catoma near the hospital.

On Monday, the current mayor of the city of Cullman, Woody Jacobs, said the previously completed bridge project was a significant factor to secure the project’s largest portion of funding, a $14 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant obtained by former Sen. Richard Shelby.

“They made fun of us, made fun of [the Alabama Department of Transportation], made fun of everybody because we had bridges out there with no road. Then, along comes a funding opportunity from Washington D.C. where they wanted a project that could happen quickly. They wanted to see results,” Jacobs said. “We had a project with the right-away already purchased and the bridges already built. That’s a pretty great presentation that we could make it happen.”

Other sources of funding are $2.5 million from the state, $1 million from the city, $1.5 million form the national highway fund and $392,864 from a state match.

While State Rep. Randall Shedd chose to celebrate the efforts of recent administrations, he said the project would not have been possible if not for the foundation laid by former Sen. Finis St. John, who pushed for the highway’s connection to AL HWY 278.

“While this is a celebration, we also want to remember that this would not happen and we would not be here today had it not been for Senator Finis St. John. He had the wear with all and the knowledge to get the original 157 built from Hwy. 31 all the way to 278. … So, we will always remember him and what he did.”