Thanks to state ATRIP grants, Escambia County will have the money to repave 12 stretches of road in about a year and a half — projects that would have taken 16 or 17 years to complete with the normal funding the county gets.

The county announced the final four projects Monday: 4.9 miles in Atmore on West Sunset Drive, East Sunset Drive, Virginia Drive and MLK Jr. Drive; and in Brewton: 4.3 miles on County Road 27, County Road 17, Airport Road and Deere Creek Road; 2.6 miles of County Road 30 (Huxford Road); and 3.2 miles of Kirkland Road, Sybil Lane, Old Castleberry Road and Sowell Road.

“We were very fortunate to get the money,” said county engineer Bill Bridges.

One project has been completed so far — the repaving of Ridge Road in east Escambia County.

Four others have already been bid but will begin this spring: Watts Road/Robinsonville Road; Canoe Road North, County Road 6/Wolflog Road; and Pea Ridge Road. Three more will be bid later this year: Jay Road, Old Highway 31 and Three-Mile Road.

Funding through ATRIP — the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program — was awarded to cities and counties in three rounds. The first two rounds specified which roads would funded, but the last round did not.

Roads have to be classified as a “major collector” to qualify for the funding, so Bridges said that is why some projects won’t see the entire road paved.

“For example, we realize that all of Kirkland Road needs to be paved, but it doesn’t qualify,” he said.

County Commissioner Raymond Wiggins said Ridge Road, which is in his district, “looks great.”

“People are very pleased with the raised reflectors,” he said. “The increased visibility makes for safer traveling.”