Huntsville City Council Approves $36 Million in Road Projects

The Huntsville City Council approved two road projects totaling more than $36 million at its meeting Thursday.

One project is the Interstate 565 Resolute Way interchange,and the other is the widening of old Big Cove Road in eastern Huntsville. The Old Big Cove Road project will include sidewalks,bike paths,and streetlights.

“Resolute Way is one of our top roadway priorities and we are excited to see this project moving forward,” Mayor Tommy Battle said. “With the expanding missions at Redstone Arsenal, including U.S.Space Command and the FBI,it’s essential that the city rises to the occasion in support to help keep our nation safe.We are grateful for our partnership with the alabama Department of Transportation and look forward to continuing to partner on many other projects in the region.”

The funding agreement with the Alabama Department of transportation provides $11.5 million for the Resolute Way project, with $2.3 million coming from the city. The remaining funds will come from the Huntsville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization for regionally important projects.

The council’s approval covers the preliminary engineering for phase one of the Resolute Way project, wich consists of two miles of roadway improvements between I-565 and Redstone Gateway. The actual bridge across I-565 will be part of phase two, likely presented to the Huntsville Area MPO next year.

Urban and Economic Advancement Director Shane Davis explained that the city has been partnering with Redstone Arsenal for over a year on environmental studies and preliminary corridor planning. The ultimate goal is a new interchange between Zierdt Road and Research Park Boulevard, with phase one focusing on access to the gate and Redstone Gateway Park on the south side of I-565.