Latest Headlines
- One Person Injured In Crash Near Walnut Hill
- Century Highway 29 Construction Zone Traffic Shift Delayed (Again)
- Tate Showband Of The South Has A New Director
- Navy Federal Employees Honored By Manna For Volunteer Efforts
- Pine Meadow’s Cassi McGee Received Florida Outstanding Teacher Leadership Award
- Escambia Man, 75, Arrested For Child Porn After FDLE, NCIS Investigation
- Escambia County Youth Employment Program Celebrates Future Workforce
- Spohn Delivers 3 RBIs As Blue Wahoos Delight With Win Against Shuckers
- Highway 168 Bridge Reopened Friday After Repair Completed
- Bicyclist Critical After Being Struck By Vehicle In Century
Flomaton Mayor Declines Plan To Rename Hwy 113 In His Honor
November 3, 2010
Flomaton’s mayor has declined an Alabama plan to name a portion of Highway 113 in his honor.
A ceremony was planned for next Tuesday to name Highway 113 from Flomaton to I-65 the “Dewey J. Bondurant, Jr. Highway”. The Alabama Legislature approved the name in Bondurant’s honor earlier this year with the passage of a bill sponsored by Sen. Marc M. Keahey.
But the ceremony has been canceled, according to Rebecca White, public information specialist for the Alabama Department of Transportation.
“The mayor felt like there were a lot of people in that area that were responsible for getting the highway widened,” said White. “The mayor felt like it was not right to name it just after him.”
The four-laning of the 13.5 mile stretch of Highway 113 was a joint project between several agencies in Alabama as well as Escambia County, Florida, which provided $4 million toward the $22.7 million project. Representatives from Alabama and Florida, including Bondurant, worked more than four decades on the project.
“I’ve never met anyone any better than Dewey,” Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said at the November 2008 ribbon cutting for the widened highway. “He came in and not only put together a plan that would work, then…he went out and secured the funds that made this a reality. This would not have happened without the mayor. The mayor’s leadership on this was just exemplary.”
Florida and Alabama agreed back in 1967 to four-lane roads on both side of the state line for an evacuation route. Florida finished their part along Highway 29 by 1990, but Alabama did nothing more after acquiring right-of-way back in the 1970’s.
“Mayor Dewey J. Bondurant, Jr., of Flomaton worked tirelessly to see this project come to fruition; the project would not have been possible without his hard work and dedication; he is to be commended for seeing this effort through to conclusion,” stated the bill passed by the Alabama Legislature.
Pictured top: Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (left) and Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant (second from left) cut the ribbon on the newly widened Highway 113 in November, 2008 as dignitaries from Alabama and Florida look on. Pictured inset: Gov. Riley thanks Bondurant for his work on the Highway 113 project. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
6 Responses to “Flomaton Mayor Declines Plan To Rename Hwy 113 In His Honor”
why not name the “BRIDGE TO NOWHERE” after him?
I agree with you James and Choir Buddy! Mr. Dewey and his family were our neighbors for 13 plus years! He is a good man with great character and class! I personally would love to see the highway named in his honor for all the hard work he done during the project but he is such a respectful man and that is why he turned it down BECAUSE he wasnt alone on the project! He should not be criticized for what the Govenor wanted to do for him! He is a well liked man! I never saw any previous mayors try or even mention doing what he DID do!
Amen Choir Buddy D, sadly those are qualities rarely seen in politics anymore.( Or anywhere else for that matter )
Its called class and character…
It’s true many people were involved and should be recognized for their efforts in making the four-laning of 113 a reality. But no one worked harder and was more influential in making this happen than Mayor Bondurant. Without his determination and the relationship he created with Gov. Riley, this project would have never happened.
The decision to turn down this honor shows the mayor’s character and humble leadership. It’s sad to see how the resentment of a few people can take away from a person worthy of being recognized. I hope that Mayor Bondurant’s example of integrity and a love for people can remind all of us of how we should live our lives.
Isn’t it kind of odd how this didn’t show its face until after the Alabama Elections. If it had, I do believe it would have greatly affected the amount of votes Mr Keahey recieved due to pushing this through without communicating with commisioners. Yeah Mr Bondurant played a part in this, but there were way more than just him.