Place an Ad | Subscribe | Advertise With Us

Houston County Commission takes another step toward toll road

By Debbie Ingram
Published: May 22, 2008
Updated: July 28, 2008

Houston County is moving forward as the lead entity in a public/private partnership with a non-profit group to construct, operate and maintain an Interstate 10 toll road that would connect U.S. 231 with I-10 in Florida.

The project, announced more than two weeks ago, is the most effective way to build a connector since state and federal transportation authorities have said there is no funding for the project. Officials believe the road is vital for economic development and access.

Click here to read a the resolution.

“We have been working on this project 20 years at least, from the Dothan area to I-10,” said Commission Chairman Mark Culver. “Not a lot of money is out there to do this kind of project. We don’t know when it would get done, if ever. This is a vehicle to make it happen.” During Thursday’s commission meeting, Dothan attorney Wally Hinesley reviewed the resolution with the Alabama non-profit facilitator of the project, Focus 2000 of the Wiregrass Inc. Hinesley said there are several IRS rules which serve as the mechanisms for allowing such a partnership. “It has requirements for allowing a public/private entity to issue tax-exempt bonds. This is established to give the tax-exempt status to the credit entity to bring those tax-exempt bonds forward,” he said. “It is an unusual mechanism, done when government does not have the funds.” According to the resolution, the toll road would revert back to the political sponsors, Houston, Geneva and Dale counties, once it is paid for. That is estimated to take a minimum of 20 years. For more on this story, come back to dothaneagle.com and read Friday’s Dothan Eagle.