Completion of Alabama 157 expansion No. 2 story of year

When Gov. Bob Riley cut the ribbon that officially signaled the completion of the widening of Alabama 157 from the Shoals to Cullman this summer, it completed a story that many had hoped would end much sooner.

Still, completing 157 put it at No. 2 among the Top 10 local stories of the year.

The final eight-mile segment of Alabama 157 through the southwest corner of Morgan County had actually been open for several days when the governor joined about 150 people Aug. 24, including local and state officials, to commemorate the end of the project.

The completion of the project provides a four-lane highway from the Shoals through Colbert, Lawrence, Morgan and Cullman counties, to Interstate 65 in Cullman.

Though discussions of widening that segment of Alabama 157 began in the 1950s, it wasn't until 1983 that work started on adding lanes.

Before then, drivers on Alabama 157 had to negotiate a somewhat treacherous two-lane road.

Work on widening the highway began in the Shoals and north of Cullman near the interstate, and in the middle in Moulton.

The frequency of subsequent projects depended on who was governor.

Former Gov. Don Siegelman vowed to have the remaining projects under contract before he left office, and Riley would ultimately see to the project's completion.

The governor's press office reported that about $57.3 million was spent on completing the project since Riley took office in 2003.

Moulton Mayor Ray Alexander said during the opening of the new section of highway that about 14,000 vehicles pass through Moulton on 157 each day.

The widening of the road and the increased traffic have brought more retail business to the town, said Chamber of Commerce Director Vickie Morese.

Law enforcement officials said the completed four-lane highway should help reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes between the Shoals and Cullman.

Riley, as well as other state and local officials, said the project's completion will open the Shoals to continued economic development.

While the majority of the road work has been completed, there is one section of the highway that needs improvement, a section known as Battleground Hill, which is a steep grade near the Morgan-Cullman County line. While that section is not in the Alabama Department of Transportation Five-Year Plan, there are plans to widen the undivided four-lane road to five lanes.

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