The Dallas County Commission approved a bid Monday for an Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation Improvement Program (ATRIP) project on Dallas County Road 45.

The bid, which was recommended by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), was from Asphalt Contactor’s, Inc. for $709,538.05.

County Road 45 is in Commissioner Curtis Williams’ district, and he said people that travel 45 will be excited about being one step closer to have the road resurfaced and reconstructed.

“They’re going to feel good about it. It is a major thoroughfare going to Birmingham and going to Marion, and it has been needed for over 10 years,” Williams said Monday after the commission meeting. “We just want to complete the project and get the road fixed so individuals won’t have too much wobbling in the road.”

Williams said part of the road was fixed with previous ATRIP projects, but this one will resurface the road to the Dallas and Perry County line.

“I’m just elated to have Dallas County’s part of 45 completed and ready to go, and I’m just looking forward to that,” Williams said.

Williams said the project has been a work in progress for the last 10 years.

“I want to thank the citizens for being patient with me. I want them to know that I’ve been telling them we were going to get it fixed, but you know how it is sometimes,” Williams said. “When you just don’t have the funds available you just can’t do but so many miles a year. It is a difficult task, but we’re trying real hard to satisfy the people and let the people know that we’re serving the people.”

According to Dallas County Engineer Coosa Jones, the project, which covers 1.4 miles, will start within 45 to 60 days, and the project will take between 60 to 75 working days to complete.

“This is a new approach that we’re going to use on this one by milling off some of the asphalt and then grinding it all back up and adding in some crushed stone and re-compacting it,” Jones said.

Jones hopes the new approach will reduce damage to the road when the soil underneath it swells and shrinks due to moisture.