Approach work to get under way

FLORENCE -- Contractors are about to begin work on the north approach to Patton Island bridge in a big way.

In December, Wright Brothers Construction, of Charleston, Tenn., was awarded the project after submitting a low bid of $20.8 million.

Project engineer Eric Sample said the 1.2-mile project will begin where the approach ended at Huntsville Road and proceed north. It will pass over Avondale Avenue in East Florence where an overpass will be constructed.

The road will then proceed toward Florence Boulevard where it will cross the highway and curve toward Helton Drive and connect with that road at the Hermitage Drive intersection.

Sample said drivers will begin seeing the first signs of activity along Florence Boulevard between the Railroad Avenue overpass and the Helton Drive intersection.

Sample said lanes on the overpass will be narrowed and moved toward the center of the bridge to allow contractors to widen the bridge.

He said the lanes will be pushed into a tight, four-lane configuration. Once that's completed, traffic will be split and moved to the outside lanes of the bridge.

Contractors also will begin preliminary drilling for the footings that will support an overpass over Florence Boulevard.

"Most of the activity at the beginning of the job will be near Florence Boulevard," Sample said.

Sample said the speed limit on Florence Boulevard will be reduced to 35 mph through the construction zone.

Sample said the goal is to have the first phase of the work around Florence Boulevard completed by the first of 2007. Sample said there will be a "diamond intersection" with four ramps tying the new road into Florence Boulevard.

A substantial part of the project will involve the construction of the overpass and interchanges, Sample said. Another major cost will be paving the 1.2 miles of new roadway, which will be two lanes and a turn lane in each direction, a portion of Florence Boulevard, Helton Drive and Avondale.

"There will be a substantial amount of money involved in street lighting and new traffic signals," Sample said.

He said the company anticipates completing the project in 2½ -3 years. While he doesn't anticipate the project to interfere with traffic too heavily, he does advise motorists to seek alternative routes.

"It will be a nice corridor when it gets done," Sample said.

Russ Corey can be reached at 740-5738 or russ.corey@timesdaily.com.