(Montgomery) On May 8, Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom announced a Senate Joint
Resolution creating the Lt. Governor’s Commission on Public-Private Partnerships. This
group will study innovative ways to fund a Florence to Mobile Highway.
Governor Folsom was joined at the announcement by 17 Democrat and
Republican members of the House and Senate including Senator Roger Bedford who is
the sponsor of the resolution in the Senate. “I want to thank Governor Folsom for his
leadership and vision on this issue.” said Bedford. Representative Ken Guin will sponsor
the resolution in the House.
Folsom stated that the eastern half of Alabama along I 59/20, I-10 and US 431
and 231 have contributed to the economic growth of the state. “However, without a
major north south highway, the western parts of our state remain distanced from
development keeping portions of our state locked in poverty.”
The resolution states that development of such a north-south freeway has become
even more paramount due to the development by Mississippi of a north –south highway
parallel to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway leading to serious concerns that without a comparable parallel highway east of the Waterway, west Alabama will not capitalize on the economic and commercial benefit of future development.
The public-private partnership is not a new concept nationally. Across the nation
city, county, and state governments are using innovative financing for highway projects,
through the combination of different funding sources – including state and federal funds,
and revenue from private funds and tolls.
The Governor, Lt. Governor, and the Speaker of the House will appoint five
members each to serve on the new commission, which is to report its findings and
recommendations to the Alabama Legislature at the start of its 2009 regular session.
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