2013 PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA
The following are the public policy priorities of The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama for 2013: 1. Actively advocate cooperative relations, communications and accountability among and between all members of the Tuscaloosa County and West Alabama legislative delegations in order to create a unified effort critical to improving and maximizing the area delegation’s effectiveness and influence in Montgomery. 2. Aggressively support passage of legislation which provides the citizens of Tuscaloosa County with the right to vote on identified issues of significant public concern and achieve home rule. 3. Continue to advocate improved working relations among local governments, state legislators, the Alabama Department of Transportation, both in Montgomery and at the division level, and the private sector to more effectively facilitate, coordinate, expedite and hold accountable critical, identified transportation priorities in the region. The three major projects currently on the Tuscaloosa Area Metropolitan Planning Organization 2035 long-range transportation plan are as follows:
I-20/59 from the Black Warrior Parkway to Keenes Mill Road: $54,024,942 SR-69 from Skyland Boulevard to Old Greensboro Road (southern intersection): $39,614,853 Tuscaloosa Eastern Bypass section project 2004: $43,229,262
Long-range priorities not currently on the 2035 transportation plan that we as a delegation feel should be studied further and possibly placed on the MPO transportation plan are:
SR-69 North from US-82 to Mitt Lary Road (not on long-range transportation plan, 2004 estimate): $20,000,000 Tuscaloosa East Bypass (all remaining segments, only one segment is on the long-range transportation plan): $275,532,844. As part of this project the committee suggests the completion of the northern end of the project to utilize Rose Blvd which has been completed to I59/20 The addition of infrastructure access to the North River area via the completion of McWrights Ferry Road. Estimated construction cost from the City of Tuscaloosa is $49,223,424; right-of-way $6,360,000; utilities $2,580,000; for a total cost of $58,163,424
4. Continue support for funding of extension of the runway at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport and modernization and installation of a radar system to support and assure safety as well as economic development opportunities. 5. Aggressively advocate expeditious efforts to move the eastern bypass project forward and hold accountable all of the various governmental bodies and agencies that are barriers to progress. 6. Actively support and advocate the Hope Initiative to address crime, poverty, expanded public safety and the protection of the citizens of the community, in order to build and sustain a healthy business environment and improved livability. 7. Support the concept of a career technical curriculum to be accessible by all students in the county. 8. Actively oppose the “employee free choice act” which would undermine long standing principles of workplace democracy and fairness, resulting in a lack of balance between management and labor in the workplace.