Winfield receives $1.8 million grant

WINFIELD — Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s office announced that the City of Winfield would be receiving over $1 million in ATRIP-II funding to go toward road and sewer projects related to the incoming Pilot Travel Center on State Highway 129.
The announcement came on Jan. 30, as the city continues to work to take the necessary steps required for the Pilot Travel Center to be able to open as soon as possible.
The city matched the $1,777,481.07 grant with $230,000 of its own funding.
Winfield Mayor Randy Price said the Pilot project has been a whirlwind, considering it only really began in late July or early August of last year.
“When Pilot told us they were coming, we needed grant money to help with what we were doing on 129 as far as turn lanes and possibly an acceleration lane,” Price said. “That was in July or August of last year, and they were wanting to be open by December, so we didn’t have time to apply for just any grant.”
The road work on Highway 129 will be the second phase of upgrades to the area for the new Pilot station.
Previously, the city had also received grant funding through the ARC (Appalachian Regional Commission) to put in storm drains.
Price said the city water department also had to do a lot of work to install sewer and water infrastructure on the site.
Price said the goal was to build with the future in mind if any more businesses come to that area, and to facilitate the increased traffic for Pilot.