DISCUSSING THE THREE-CENT BOND ISSUE WITH CONSTITUENTS AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS
· The original ATRIP program was introduced in 2012 as a bold infrastructure initiative to improve Alabama ' s declining local roads and bridges .
· Over 200 new road projects have been completed under ATRIP , but Alabama ' s remaining infrastructure is still in rapid deterioration .
· October 2017 is the deadline for all projects to be submitted under ATRIP . Many engineers fear the momentum gained under the program will come to a halt , when there is still much work to be done .
· A recent study by TRIP ( a transportation research firm ) estimates that the average American driver pay an extra $ 523 per year in vehicle maintenance costs from driving over potholes and cracked roads .
· The bond issue , known as ATRIP-2 , would help offset some of that cost , while continuing the positive economic impact and safety improvements of ATRIP .
· The original ATRIP program was primarily funded with federal dollars , which limited the eligible roads for improvements to those with high traffic volumes .
· ATRIP-2 will include roads that are not eligible for federal funds , as well as the more than 1000 bridges that cannot support the weight of a school bus .
· The $ 1.2 billion investment will put Alabamians to work , and many of the projects will be let to contract before the end of 2017 .
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