Gov. Robert Bentley announced Wednesday that an additional $372 million in funding would be spread throughout Alabama to cities and counties participating in the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program — the largest bridge and road improvement program in state history.

In Selma and Dallas County, more than $9 million was awarded to improve roadways. Dallas County Probate Judge Kim Ballard said this funding is monumental, and will go a long way in repairing county roads.

“It’s going to be more roadwork in Dallas County than what’s been done in several years,” Ballard said. “This is a huge amount of roadwork.”

Before Wednesday’s announcement, 693 road and bridge improvement projects had already been approved under previous phases of ATRIP funding. Wednesday’s phase III funding announcement will now pave the way, literally, for additional projects in all 45 counties receiving phase III allocations.

Typically, Ballard said the county receives about $500,000 a year in federal money for roadwork. “So if you just do the math, this is like 20 years of paving,” he said.

The county was approved for five road projects and the city one. Ballard said the commission is “absolutely delighted” to have all their requests for roadwork given.

“The commissioners and I are delighted that all the projects we submitted are funded and we’re looking forward to getting started on them,” he said. “These projects will go on for multiple years.”