Tri-City Ledger -

Over the years covering hundreds of county commission meetings and city council meetings the most complaints I've heard expressed was the condition of roads, bridges and ditches.

Those complaints have ranged from needing dirt roads paved, to filling potholes or resurfacing roads. The standard answer most of the complainers received was either 'we'll get to it when the can' or simply 'we don't have the money'.

It was about 15 or so years ago, the four-laning of Highway 31 from Flomaton to Atmore got on the Alabama Department of Transportation's five-year plan. I attended several meetings at...