East Three Notch Street could get an update designed to slow down traffic and add bike lanes if the City of Andalusia is successful in its pursuit of ATRIP II grant funding.

The city council on Tuesday approved a resolution in support of the grant application. The project plans, drawn by CDG, include planning and resurfacing the existing roadway, updating existing traffic signals, and adding new traffic striping and configuration from the Court Square to the MLK Expressway.

City Clerk John Thompson explained that the proposal calls for the current four-lane configuration to become two lanes with a center turn lane and bike lanes on each side. The bike lanes are part of the city’s long-term plan for downtown redevelopment.

Mayor Earl Johnson said the bike lanes would help make downtown more livable, but also make the sidewalks on East Three Notch Street safe. 

“We have an awful lot of fast traffic on East Three Notch,” Johnson said. “But we don’t have enough police officers to keep them slowed down. This should help that problem.”

The project, if approved, would total $1.5 million. The city would be responsible for only 10 percent of that total. 

ATRIP II is an Alabama Department of Transportation-administered transportation infrastructure grant program for projects of local interest created in the Rebuild Alabama Act of 2019.

The City of Andalusia is conducting a municipal election today, Tuesday, August 25, 2020. 

There are only two races on the ballot: Council District 1 and Council District 2. Only voters who live in those districts will be voting. 

In District 1, incumbent WIll Sconiers faces Joe Nix.

In District 2, incumbent Kennith Mount faces Michael Veasey. 

If you do not know which district you live in, call 334-428-1143 for assistance. 

Joe Nix and Kennith Mount were elected to the Andalusia City Council in the 2020 Municipal Elections on Tuesday. 

In District 1, Nix defeated incumbent Will Sconiers, 111 to 81,  or 58 percent to 42 percent. Nix previously served three terms on the Andalusia Board of Education. 

In District 2, Mount  was returned to office, defeating challenger Michael Veasey 160 to 63, or 72 percent to 28 percent. 

Mayor Earl Johnson, District 3 Councilwoman Hazel Griffin, District 4 Councilman Ralph Wells and District 5 Councilman Terry Powell were unopposed in their bids this year. 

They will take the oath of office in November. 

The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday agreed to provide funding for an Andalusia City Schools/LBW Community College initiative designed to give Andalusia High School students a head start for college. 

Effective in the current academic year, Andalusia City Schools will cover the cost of one dual enrollment class per semester for high school seniors. If funding is still available after all interested seniors have enrolled, the program is open high school juniors and sophomores.

Dual enrollment classes allow high school students to simultaneously earn high school and college credits, and ease the transition from high school to college. High school sophomores, juniors and seniors with at least a “B” average are eligible for dual enrollment in both academic and technical programs. But while the state funds the technical classes for high school students, until the city agreed to fund this program, parents had to pay tuition for academic classes. 

The council agreed to provide up to $100,000 for tuition, which would cover two academic classes per year for about 100 students.

At least one academic dual enrollment class will be taught on the AHS campus each semester, Superintendent Ted Watson said, including college-level English and math classes. In the semester that began this weeks, AHS students enrolled in dual enrollment can complete English 101 and English 102. Students may also take academic classes on the LBW campus, or in LBW’s online program. Transportation is available for students to take classes on the Andalusia or Opp campus, Watson said. 

But the benefits don’t end there. Dr. Chris Cox, interim president of LBW Community College, said the college will match the funding provided for seniors, offering free tuition for two classes for participants who enroll in the fall semester following their high school graduations. 

“We will match the investment,” Cox told the council. “We believe it will be of great benefit to students.” 

Watson first presented an outline of the plan hatched by the two education leaders to the council in July. Each year, the school system presents a plan for using the proceeds of a half-cent education sales tax to the council. 

Cox said that research shows that a student who completes a dual enrollment class while still in high school is more than two times as likely to complete a degree program. 

“This is huge for the city, and I believe will become a model for the state before it’s done,” he said. 

Cox said LBW wants to take not only the top students, but also students who might be struggling. 

“If they take a college course and see that they can do (college work), that could be huge for them,” he said.

Cox said taking the classes also could help high school students with college admissions.

“For colleges that may not allow them in on their ACT score alone, they could go as transfer students,” he said.