The Butler County Commission voted Monday to accept a nearly $1.3 million bid from APAC Mid-South for a road resurfacing project that will cover County Road 50 from Alabama Hwy. 10 East to the Crenshaw County line.

The resurfacing project is part of Gov. Robert Bentley’s Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement (ATRIP) initiative, the largest road and bridge improvement program in Alabama history.

ATRIP, which seeks to provide counties and cities with money to resurface and rehabilitate roads with federal funds totaling nearly $1 billion.

Only certain roads and bridges qualify for the funding, and city and county governments must provide a 20 percent match for approved projects. Funding for ATRIP comes through the use of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles Bonds (GARVEE). Through the use of GARVEE bonds, Alabama is able to access future federal dollars now in order to pay for road and bridge projects that are needed immediately.

Butler County will be responsible for $247,000 for the County Road 50 resurfacing project, according to County Engineer Dennis McCall.

The project will cover approximately nine miles, and is expected to begin by September.

“The process of bid award and execution of contracts typically takes eight weeks, so the end of August or early September would be a good estimate for work to begin,” McCall said.

Along with the County Road 50 resurfacing project, Butler County was awarded funds for the resurfacing County Road 45 and County Road 59 from U.S. Hwy. 31 to Pigeon Creek, and County Road 45 from State Route 106 to County Road 59 during the second phase of the program.

The City of Greenville was also awarded funds to resurface Conecuh Street from State Route 10 to U.S. Hwy. 31 in Greenville.

In ATRIP’s first phase, Butler County was awarded $321,792.96 for improvements to a bridge on County Road 53 that spans a tributary of Patsaliga Creek.

Combined Butler County and the City of Greenville have been awarded approximately $7.4 million for five projects as part of the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program.

Butler County, the City of Greenville and the City of Georgiana have all submitted applications for projects for Phase III of ATRIP and are awaiting word on whether or not they will be approved.