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Through a variety of funding opportunities the Escambia County Commission is working on a plan to improve some of the roadways throughout the county.

During a Monday meeting of the group, approval for the 2023 Fiscal year Country Transportation Plan puts at least three roads on a short list for paving. Those roads include Holmesville Road and a portion of Damascus Road in the Damascus community and Upper Creek Road near Flomaton.

County Engineer Bill Bridges said a good amount of paving has already taken place, thanks to the Rebuild Alabama funds the county has received.

“In the last 12 to 14 months, we’ve done about $5 million in paving,” Bridges told the Commission. “We used the Rebuild Alabama funds to do about $2.6 million and about $2.5 million from the general fund to get as much paving done as we have.”

Bridges said areas of paving completed in that round of projects included Old Hwy. 31, Smithfield Road, Old Atmore Road, Tulip Street, Beaver Creek road, Wing road and Fuqua Road.

“We are putting some areas down to be included in paving with the coming round of funds,” Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins said.

Although it is not clear when that funding would be made available to the county, the fiscal year begins Oct. 1 with funding expected following that date.

In other business Monday, the commission approved a resolution recognizing an event set for Aug. 31 on the lawn of the Escambia County Courthouse.

County Administrator Tony Sanks explained to the Commission the purpose of the gathering was to bring awareness to overdoses across the country.

“We were contacted by Megan White about the plan for the Overdose Awareness event set for Aug. 31 at 6:39 p.m.,” Sanks said. “The purpose is to increase awareness of overdoses and the difficulty families face across all backgrounds and socioeconomic status.”

The commission agreed to support the program through the passing of the resolution.

The Commission also approved the annual agreement between the county and the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission.