The Dallas County Commission passed a resolution Monday to show support for a state-wide increase on the cost of fuel to help pay for road repairs.

The resolution shows support for a plan the Association of County Commissions of Alabama will present to the legislature proposing a three-cent increase for gasoline and diesel fuel to help pay for a $1.2 billion bond issue.

“It’s going to be a chore getting it, but I believe it might pass,” said Commission Chairman Kim Ballard during Monday’s meeting. “The association is pushing it hard.”

The bond issue would pay for ATRIP Phase II. ATRIP, or Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, was set up by Gov. Robert Bentley to improve the state’s infrastructure in 2012.

Dallas County received $8.3 million that helped improved 34 miles of roads.

County Engineer Coosa Jones said the first phase of ATRIP was something the county benefitted from.

“They’ve been real beneficial. We’ve paved several roads,” Jones said. “We’ve got two more to go, another section of County Road 45 and two projects on County Road 7 that we should have out for bids in the next couple of months.”

County Roads 33 and 31 were both part of the first phase. According to Drive Alabama, the project benefitted more than 75 homes and churches.

If the proposal for Phase II is approved by the legislature, Dallas County would receive $13,736,566.79 from the issuance with 20 percent being split between municipalities in Dallas County.

Jones said the county’s roads need the money.

“They need resurfacing and repairs, and there is just not enough federal money that we’re getting normally to do the work,” Jones said. “This ATRIP program will allow us to do 80 to 100 more miles of paving.”

Ballard shared the same sentiment, recalling how bad some of Dallas County’s roads are.

“The roads and bridges are in such deplorable condition throughout the state,” he said. “They just deteriorate to a point. You’d be surprised at how far that $13 million won’t go. It won’t pay for all of them.”

Roads that receive repairs must be classified as major collector, but Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the ACCA, said some roads that did not qualify during Phase I could qualify for Phase II. Brasfield said the three-cent increase would cost a person that drives an estimated 20,000 miles per year an extra $25 a year for gas.

“Every one of us in here drive, and we know how bad these roads are with potholes. We’ve been getting a lot of rain and that’s what makes these potholes, so this is what this tax is going on,” said Commissioner Valerie Reuben. “Just think about an alignment. Think about your tires.”

The ACCA is expected to present the proposal during the 2017 legislative session, which begins Feb. 7. The three-cent increase would expire when the bond issue is paid off.