Battle says state, feds need to "step up" on road funding

Driving the news: Battle said during his "Roots to Rockets" State of the City address Monday that "Huntsville has done its part to help deliver a half a billion dollars in road improvements."

• Now, "we need state and federal governments to step up," he said, to help the city extend Interstate 565 to Shields Road, rebuild the I-565 and Memorial Parkway interchange, and add capacity to Highway 72 West.
• Those projects "are beyond what any one city should be expected to fund," Battle said, noting that Huntsville has "watched billions of highway dollars go to other areas of the state."

Zoom in: Huntsville has prioritized and sought federal and state funding for projects like the I-565 Parkway interchange rebuild for nearly 10 years as it pursued its Restore Our Roads initiative.

• Battle on Monday highlighted the initiative, now in its second phase, saying, "No other Alabama city made the commitment on that type [of] scale."

What they're saying: "We've been patient … we've put our money where our mouth is," Battle said. "Now it's North Alabama's turn."

• "Our region is a major economic engine drawing from the workforce across North Alabama," he said. "Our jobs and industries and federal missions benefit the entire state."

Zoom out: Battle's big announcement Monday was the start of a new chapter for Huntsville's BIG Picture master plan, which he said has led to investments like Stovehouse, Campus No. 805, MidCity, John Hunt Park, and Sandra Moon Community Complex.

• The new plan kicks off next year with public meetings.
• "We want to hear from longtime residents. We want to hear from newcomers," Battle said. "What needs attention? Where should we invest?"

Catch up quick: Speaking to a crowd of more than 1,200 for his 18th State of the City address, Battle recapped the past decade of progress in Huntsville, including growing to 231 square miles and adding 50,000 people.

• Since 2016, he said, housing units have grown 32% compared with population growth of 26%, median household income has grown 62% to $84,000, and per capita income has grown 78%.
• Housing costs are 30% below the national average, he said, while average household income is about $115,000.
• Over the past decade, companies have announced plans to create more than 71,000 jobs and invest nearly $17 billion in Huntsville's industrial sector.

Context: "Huntsville owes a great deal to the people who came here through Redstone Arsenal," Battle said. "They put down roots, they built businesses, they raised families and they've helped make this city what it is today."

The bottom line: "That's the thing about building a great city," Battle said. "You never finish. We'll always have cranes and orange cones."