Funding OK'd for crossing

MUSCLE SHOALS - Shoals Metropolitan Planning Organization members voted Thursday to appropriate $248,000 to bring the Avalon Avenue railroad crossing up to Federal Highway Administration standards.

Muscle Shoals city planner Bill Howard told MPO members that FHA guidelines required the upgrade because federal funds were being used to widen a portion of Avalon Avenue from the railroad tracks at Cox Boulevard to Woodward Avenue.

Howard said the project involves adding a fifth lane to the four-lane highway.

The project also involves reconstructing the intersection of Avalon Avenue and Cox Boulevard near the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing and adding a traffic signal at the site.

Howard said the signal will be synchronized with traffic on the rail line. When a train is present, the signal will allow traffic from Cox Boulevard to travel east onto Avalon Avenue to keep the flow of traffic moving.

Because the road was being improved, Howard said the crossing had to be improved as well.

The cost of the upgrade was not included in the original project estimates.

Howard said the city attempted to secure additional Industrial Access Grant funds to make the repairs but was turned down.

The Avalon Avenue project was funded through Industrial Access Grant money.

Howard said when the city tried to remove the railroad crossing improvements from the project, it was informed that the work had to be completed. Howard said Norfolk Southern has already purchased the materials for the upgrade.

"The city doesn't have any choice but to improve this crossing," said James Brown, state Department of Transportation division engineer.

The additional cost of the railroad crossing improvements will be paid from MPO funds, which are provided by the Federal Highway Administration.

Muscle Shoals Mayor David Bradford said the city will pay the 20 percent match on the funds, which comes to $62,000.

"Once and for all, it will be smooth," Howard said of the crossing, which has generated its share of complaints from motorists.