Members of Limestone County's legislative delegation spoke Tuesday at a legislative wrap-up event at Athens-Limestone Public Library. From left are State Rep. Phil Williams, R-Huntsville, State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, State Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, State Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence and House Speaker Mac McCutcheon.

Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part series about a legislative wrap-up event held Tuesday at Athens-Limestone Public Library. Part II will be published in Friday’s edition of The News Courier.

Alabama lawmakers believe future growth in North Alabama could be stifled unless Interstate 565 is widened and surface roads and bridges are improved.

The state’s pressing infrastructure need was chief among several topics discussed by lawmakers Tuesday at a legislative wrap-up event, presented by the Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce. The event, held at Athens-Limestone Public Library, featured State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, State Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, State Rep. Phil Williams, R-Huntsville, State Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens and House Speaker Mac McCutcheon.

Orr said the “gridlock problem on 565” is an issue that could affect the manufacturing corridor being developed in Huntsville-annexed Limestone County.

“It will be difficult to lure businesses if they can’t get their workers to the job site or trucks bringing in supplies,” he said. “That’s a real problem going forward as far as continued growth of the county. It’s something that needs to be addressed.”

McCutcheon pointed out it had been three years since he presented a plan to raise the gasoline tax to fund the state’s infrastructure needs. He explained some were for it, while some threatened his political future.

He told those in attendance Tuesday to consider “the common traveler” stuck in traffic daily. He shared that he was stuck in traffic in Research Park in Huntsville and decided to get out of his car and go knock on some windows. While some wouldn’t talk to him, others were happy to talk about the delays in their daily commutes.

“I asked, ‘Why don’t you figure up what you make per hour and figure up the time you’re sitting in this vehicle and tell me what it costs you per week,’” he told one driver. “I looked at that line of traffic and decided whatever problem we’re facing, it will not get any better. It will only get worse.”

Where money will come from to address the state’s needs is anybody’s guess, and no firm plans were discussed at Tuesday’s wrap-up. McCutcheon said the issue should be addressed with lawmakers’ new four-year terms begin.

“We’re just about broke,” he said, speaking on what the state has available for road projects. “The monies we get in is just enough to maintain what we already have.”

Orr explained he had previously introduced a local bill that would allow a county to call for a referendum on a gas tax. The tax would have been capped at seven years and would have only paid for predefined projects.

Crawford spoke about a proposal that would create an exchange by which federal road dollars are put in a large pool. The state would allow the counties to swap federal-aid funds for local-aid funds. Doing so would remove certain Alabama Department of Transportation restrictions.

“If you had the opportunity to double your income, wouldn’t you do that?” Crawford asked. “If you can do twice as much with the money given to you if you remove the restrictions, you can double your road length. Each commission can do twice as much without those ALDOT restrictions.”

School safety

Perhaps the big hot-button issue from the previous session was school safety. A gunman killed 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, while lawmakers were in session. The incident set off a statewide debate about whether our schools are safe enough.

A few gun-related bills were presented, including one that would have allowed designated teachers to be armed at school if they underwent training, but none passed by session’s end. Another failed bill would have raised the age limit to buy an AR-15 and other semiautomatic long guns from 18 to 21.

Melson said he believed “measures would be taken” during the next legislative session. He said money may also be shifted from school technology needs to school safety needs.

“It doesn’t do good to have an education if you don’t make it out of high school,” he said.

McCutcheon explained “one size does not fit all” where school systems are concerned. During the previous session, he encouraged members of the House to meet with superintendents in their districts to find out what they’re doing to improve safety.

He said a school security task force, similar to a group started two years ago, would be restarted to address safety concerns.

“We have a list of good recommendations from our school systems,” he said. “This group will start evaluating those reports and we’ll start looking at everything on the table, from arming teachers to securing doors and working with local law enforcement. This will be a big issue moving forward.”