HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
The
much-anticipated road project to widen Old Madison Pike from Thornton Research
Park to Slaughter Road is scheduled to begin at the end of this year.
A a news conference Monday Morning, officials said the
$5.3 million project is designed to widen Old Madison Pike to four lanes from Thornton
Research Park to a new bridge that will be constructed over Indian Creek. From
the bridge to Slaughter Road, the road will be widened to five lanes.
"Huntsville
and Madison residents have waiting for more than 10 years for this road
project, said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. "This team that you see here
today, along with our partners at the State, has worked to make it happen."
According to officials, more
than 25,000 vehicles travel Old Madison Pike each day, well exceeding its two
and three lane capacity.
"This road is a critical corridor between Cummings Research Park, Bridge Street
and Madison," said Madison Mayor Paul Finley. "We know the construction period
will be inconvenient for travelers, but the payoff will be worth the wait."
Shane
Davis, Huntsville's Director of Urban Development, said the Old Madison Pike
project has been a priority for both Huntsville and Madison. "We have
tackled the design challenges, figured out how to pay for work, and we are
anxious to begin," said Davis. "These improvements will provide much needed
relief to motorists who travel daily to Research Park and Redstone Arsenal."
The
$5.3 million project is being funded by three sources: $2 million from the
State of Alabama, $3.2 million in federal funds from the Metropolitan Planning
Organization, and $800,000 from the City of Huntsville.
Davis
said the City is finalizing the right-of-way acquisitions and he expects
construction to begin in late 2012. The project should take about one year to
complete, and bridge work will require sections of Old Madison Pike to close
for about nine months. Detours and alternate routes will be well publicized
during that time.
Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved.
Announcement about widening project.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WAFF, a Raycom Media Station. 