Colbert County has been awarded a nearly $2 million grant in order to make improvements to Barton Riverfront Industrial Park that are vital to the development of the National Alabama railcar plant slated to be constructed there. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby said that the money will be used by the Colbert County Commission for water improvements at the industrial park. Colbert County engineer John Bedford said that the grabt is a 50% match, with matching money expected to come from the Shoals Industrial Development Committee. That committee was formed to oversee the spending of sales tax funds generated to benefit economic development. The National Alabama facility will be one mile long and four football fields wide and the project is expected to be completed about four or five months after the project starts.National Alabama is expected to employ 1,800 workers.