MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $200,000 grant to improve a Cullman County road which will pave the way for the expansion of a local industry that plans to hire 50 new employees.
The Community Development Block Grant will be used to rehabilitate, reconstruct and resurface Cullman County Road 222. The road serves as the only access to North Alabama Fabricating Co. and Topre America Corp.
NAFCO, which produces complex conveyor systems and energy equipment for businesses and industries worldwide, is planning a $9 million expansion which will add additional weight and traffic on the county road. Topre likewise transports and receives high volumes of steel which further takes a toll on the road, according to local officials.
“Encouraging new jobs and employment opportunities for Alabamians remains a mainstay of my administration,” Gov. Ivey said. “I congratulate North Alabama Fabricating Co. on its growth and expansion, and I commend the city of Cullman for helping make this project a reality.”
Cullman County Road 222 is a two-lane road that was constructed more than 75 years ago as a farm-to-market road meaning it was a major roadway for farmers to get their goods to cities to sell. The road’s interchange with Interstate 65 was opened in 2016 and is about two miles from the two industries. Both NAFCO and Topre rely on the interstate system to transport their products.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“ADECA realizes the importance of this road improvement project to the expansion of NAFCO and continued traffic use by Topre, and we fully support Gov. Ivey in this effort,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
Gov. Ivey notified Cullman Mayor Wood Jacobs that the funding had been approved. The city is providing $300,000 in additional funds for the project while funding from other sources is expected.
ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
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