Reported by nbc13.com and The Associated Press
POSTED: 3:33 pm CST December 27, 2004 UPDATED: 4:07 pm CST December 27, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The widening of Alabama 119 near U.S. 280 is unlikely to begin for three years or longer because of environmental and right of way issues, highway officials said.
The $18 million construction project will enlarge the highway from the Broken Bow subdivision near Briarwood Christian School to just north of U.S. 280 in suburban Birmingham.
Initial plans called for relocating up to 10 homes and six businesses, but those they have not been made final. The project will be funded 80 percent by the federal government and 20 percent by the state.
J.F. Horsely, Birmingham division engineer for the state Department of Transportation, said environmental and right of way issues must be handled before federal money can be obtained.
''This won't begin until November 2007 and might be pushed back further than that because of the right of way issues and utilities,'' DOT preconstruction engineer Brian Davis said.
The Cahaba River Society and some residents expressed concerns when the project was announced last year. They said traffic on Alabama 119 did not warrant an expansion that could harm the environment with more construction runoff and increased storm-water pollution.
POSTED: 3:33 pm CST December 27, 2004 UPDATED: 4:07 pm CST December 27, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The widening of Alabama 119 near U.S. 280 is unlikely to begin for three years or longer because of environmental and right of way issues, highway officials said.
The $18 million construction project will enlarge the highway from the Broken Bow subdivision near Briarwood Christian School to just north of U.S. 280 in suburban Birmingham.
Initial plans called for relocating up to 10 homes and six businesses, but those they have not been made final. The project will be funded 80 percent by the federal government and 20 percent by the state.
J.F. Horsely, Birmingham division engineer for the state Department of Transportation, said environmental and right of way issues must be handled before federal money can be obtained.
''This won't begin until November 2007 and might be pushed back further than that because of the right of way issues and utilities,'' DOT preconstruction engineer Brian Davis said.
The Cahaba River Society and some residents expressed concerns when the project was announced last year. They said traffic on Alabama 119 did not warrant an expansion that could harm the environment with more construction runoff and increased storm-water pollution.
