Several main roads in Selma could be changing into one-way streets for the next year while a bridge on Dallas Avenue is taken out and replaced beginning in June or July.

During Thursday’s Selma City Council work session, Selma Mayor George Evans and council members discussed the detour routes that would go through the city as the bridge is replaced this summer and stays closed for an estimated eight months.

In a legal notice the Alabama Department of Transportation is advertising the project of the bridge replacement must conclude prior to May 1, 2014.

Council members discussed the new routes while also considering other road construction that will go through ATRP projects in the city simultaneously.

“We were trying to get the resurfacing of Franklin Street approved but they denied it,” Evans said about what streets went in the application for ATRIP III.

Henry Thompson with the city’ planning and development department told the council the city could set up another traffic counter and try to get the project approved for when ATRIP IV comes up. Evans said he was shocked the project was not approved because there are three city schools and Concordia College located on that street.

ATRIP III will be funding the resurfacing of Lapsley Street and Summerfield Road from J.L. Chestnut Boulevard to Woodrow Avenue. The city is applying for a $900,000 grant with a 20 percent local match of $180,000 for the project.

“Selma and Dallas county can get up to $10 million with this ATRIP III funding and Dallas County is applying for $8 million of that allotment, having to pay a 12 percent match,” Evans said explaining the portion of the grant the city applied for versus the county.

The council will vote to approve the authorization to enter into the agreement with ALDOT for the project on Tuesday and also approve the local match coming from the gas tax fund.

The city talked road projects planned for the summer and Evans explained the new detour route created for the bridge replacement on Dallas Avenue.

“We brought together the Selma Police Department, the fire department and Elton Reece with the parks and recreation department to put together this plan for the detour,” Evans said.

Union Street would be a one-way street with traffic going towards J.L. Chestnut Boulevard and King Street would be a one-way street heading in the opposite direction. This would bring traffic down J.L. Chestnut Boulevard, around the closed bridge which is located next to Bloch Park. On the other side of the closure, Hooper Drive and Crescent Hill Drive would be used as detour routes from J.L. Chestnut to Dallas Avenue as well.

The letting of the bids for the project will start May 31.