Navigating the bumpy ride between West Point and U.S. Highway 278 will soon be a smoother experience for motorists (and for school buses, once school activities return to normal), thanks to the county’s approval of construction work soon to begin on the resurfacing of County Road 1141.

Commonly known locally as Missionary Grove Road, the paving project is set to start in the coming weeks, resurfacing and re-striping all of CR 1141 along it near 4-mile length.

A major link between the town of West Point and residents on the county’s west side, the road runs from the old portion of Highway 278 replaced by the new Kugler Creek bridge (County Road 1147) to the three-way intersection with County Road 1247 at West Point near Alabama Highway 157. It’s a hilly, curvy span; one that, over the years, has accumulated more than a handful of potholes that can offer rude obstacles — especially at night — to unfamiliar travelers.

The project was targeted last year as part of the Cullman County Commission’s Federal Aid road declaration, which earmarks a local project annually for resurfacing work using appropriated funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Last year’s original budget estimate for the work set the cost at $723,045, with the state’s new Rebuild Alabama gas tax funds contributing $323,000 toward the project.

At its regular meeting Tuesday, the county commission also signed off on its transportation plan for the upcoming year. County road department chief engineer Bryan Cheatwood said the county tentatively plans to target County Road 1545, County Road 1212, and County Road 1282 for large-scale improvements during next summer’s paving season.

CR 1545 intersects with Alabama Highway 69, running north from that point of origin through the Gold Ridge community. CR 1212, known locally as the eastern portion of Old Corn Road, intersects with Highway 157 at Battleground and extends eastward to its intersection with County Road 1223 midway between West Point and Vinemont. CR 1282 continues CR 1223’s track eastward, picking up at the CR 1223 intersection and crossing the interstate to its eastern terminus at U.S. Highway 31 at Vinemont.