Late Thursday evening, the City of Troy received good news.

“As Walter Cronkite would say, ‘We’ve got breaking news,’” laughed Mayor Jimmy Lunsford at a city department head meeting on Friday morning.

Lunsford announced that the first phase of the much talked about east-west corridor can begin thanks to Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program grant approval.

Troy is receiving $1.3 million to upgrade Montgomery Street from U.S. 231 over to South Three Notch and Madison Street over to South Brundidge Street. The plan will also include widening a portion of Three Notch Street near Madison Street.

In order to receive the ATRIP funds, the city had to have rights of way under city control and no outstanding environmental issues, Lunsford said.

The entire proposed east-west corridor is planned to span from George Wallace Drive near Charles Henderson High School to Montgomery Street and Back to U.S. 231.

Lunsford said that the three-phase plan would allow time for environmental surveys for areas around the lagoon near Troy University’s campus before the second installment of government funds are divvyed up in November.

The third opportunity to snag ATRIP funds to finish the project will come early next year.

“We are going to try to get this project done,” Lunsford said.

The project will hopefully alleviate traffic congestion during Troy University athletic events and provide easier travel for CGI employees and other motorists.