This is the second in a series highlighting the people and work behind all eight districts that make up ALDOT’s West Central Region.
Nestled in the Black Belt and the heart of the Bible Belt, ALDOT’s Greensboro District may not have interstates or rest areas, but it has something better: a deeply committed team that treats every road like it’s leading home.
District Administrator Trey Henry has served full-time with ALDOT for more than 18 years. He stepped into the leadership role in Greensboro just over a year ago. With a team of 28 employees, including 22 dedicated to maintenance, each day starts with a plan and often ends with an unexpected twist.
“A typical day might include spraying herbicide, mowing, clearing debris or checking for slides and damaged signs,” Henry said. “But the amount of rainfall we’ve seen recently has made things anything but typical. We’ve been unclogging drainage, profiling ditches, repairing slides, and addressing drainage pipe separations under roadways.”
The Greensboro District serves Hale and Perry counties, covering 257 centerline miles and more than 530 lane miles of roadway. The region is also known as the Catfish Capital of Alabama, with more than 10,000 acres of commercial catfish farms, along with cattle operations and some row crops. While there may not be a major highway running through the area, there is no shortage of traffic, especially during football season and summer vacations.
The team also supports regional projects. Recently, they helped the survey crew on the West Alabama Highway design-build project by mulching selected areas. With the Governor’s statewide fiber internet initiative gaining momentum, the Greensboro District plays a key role in preparing rural communities for better connectivity.
“We’ve spoken with several companies, and I expect most of Hale and Perry counties will have fiber within the next two years,” Henry said. “I’m proud to be a small part of that. Our community lacks a lot of the resources that people in more populated areas take for granted.”
One of the district’s greatest strengths is its network of community partnerships, especially when severe weather strikes.
“We have an incredible EMA (Emergency Management Agency) director in Hale County, Russell Weeden, and our EMS (Emergency Management Services) director, Patrick Howard, is our go-to storm spotter,” Henry said. “When tornados came through in March, local farmers and loggers brought their own equipment and got to work. The response was amazing.”
There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the future. Two projects are scheduled for next year along routes in the Greensboro District, one of which is SR-14 through Greensboro. In 2027, major resurfacing work is anticipated for US-80 in Uniontown and SR-61 in Newbern.
“These projects don’t just fix the pavement,” Henry said. “They help us correct slope issues and various drainage problems, which makes roads safer for drivers.”
For Henry, this work is personal.
“These roads carry my friends and family,” Henry said. “No one is going to care about them more than me. I can’t even drive to Tuscaloosa on a Saturday without spotting something that I want to improve.”
Henry’s approach is shaped by his experience in construction, survey, design, materials and county transportation. He is also guided by mentors who taught him that public service starts with the right mindset.
“Mr. David Lyles and Mrs. Adriana Dunn once told me that to work in this field, you need a servant’s heart,” he said. “I thought I understood then, but now I really get it.”
That mindset shows up in everything from problem solving in the field to fellowship around the lunch table.
“Soon after I arrived, some of the guys went deep sea fishing and asked if they could cook the fish for everyone,” Henry said. “That kind of gesture means a lot. Now, we try to take time between seasons to come together for lunch and just enjoy each other’s company.”
Henry is quick to give credit to the team around him.
“Our TMT IIIs are strong leaders and they take the time to teach the newer employees, “Henry said. “Our clerical staff are the first people the public speaks to and they help keep everything running smoothly in the office. Jessie Adams, our veteran supervisor, is one of the most experienced people I’ve worked with. He has seen just about everything, and I value his insight every day.”
“I love being in the trenches with this team. They are honest, hardworking and committed to doing things the right way. When you put your heart into the small things, the big things take care of themselves.”
