Bridge project on track for 2010

MONTGOMERY -- The Patton Island bridge corridor and other northwest Alabama road projects either will be finished or well on the way to completion by 2010, department of transportation officials say.

But completely four-laning Alabama 157 between Cullman and the Shoals is not going to be among the projects.

Don Vaughn, Department of Transportation chief engineer, said the Patton Island bridge south approach from the railroad tracks to Avalon Avenue and the north approach, which contractors will bid on in January or February, will complete the next phase of the bridge project.

The $47.2 million projects will begin in 2006.

"We expect to complete the Patton Island corridor in our five-year plan,'' Vaughn said.

The five-year highway plan, from 2006-2010, includes four-laning about two miles of Alabama 157 at the Cullman-Morgan county line, which would leave about five or six miles of the highway in two lanes. The $4.3 million project will begin in 2008.

The road is a major artery between Interstate 65 and the Shoals and its four-laning has been a high priority of Shoals legislators for decades.

In addition, a $16 million four-laning of U.S. 43 from Killen to Tennessee is scheduled to begin next year.

The DOT is scheduled to complete four-laning Alabama 24 west of Russellville in Franklin County to Mississippi beginning next year. It's a $30.5 million project.

Design work and right-of-way acquisition for the Memphis-to-Atlanta Highway from Wheeler in Lawrence County to Cherokee County could begin if federal funding is available.

State DOT Director Joe McInnes updated legislators on the DOT's $3.4 billion, five-year state and federal road building plan last week. The five-year highway plan calls includes federal and state spending that amounts to $35.9 million in Colbert County; $85.8 million in Franklin County; $53.4 million in Lauderdale County; and $20.9 million in Lawrence County.

That's a total of $196 million in projects slated for the Shoals and northwest Alabama region.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at (334) 264-6605 or dtb123@aol.com.