Cahaba River Road project gets first phase funding

A resurfacing and widening project is in the works for Cahaba River Road, but there are several years and more phases to come before orange barrels start appearing on the road.

At its Dec. 28 meeting, the city council approved funding for its share of preliminary engineering costs for the project, which would stretch from U.S. 280 to Key Road. The project is planned to include resurfacing and drainage work, as well as adding a third lane from Acton Road to Key Lane. The project would not include work on the bridge on Cahaba River Road.

The road winds in and out of Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Jefferson County and Birmingham, which means the jurisdictions will have to cooperate to complete the project. City Manager Jeff Downes said the project "points out the difficulties in maintaining major arterials in out city. You have to be able to work together."

ALDOT will be providing 80 percent of funding for the project, with the four jurisdictions sharing the remaining 20 percent of costs. Based on the amount of Cahaba River Road within city limits, Vestavia Hills would assume roughly 26 percent of that funding.

The council approved funding for preliminary engineering by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, which will cost about $556,000 in total but Vestavia Hills will pay $29,467. This funding is contingent on the other three jurisdictions also agreeing to fund the project.

The council also approved a multi-jurisdictional agreement, right-of-way agreements and utility relocation and construction for the project. Costs of these later phases will be determined by the preliminary engineering and brought back before city council. Mayor Butch Zaragoza said that the city can choose to withdraw and not complete the project at a later date if the funding distribution is not acceptable.

The council expects environmental studies and engineering to take between one and two years, with the entire project taking five to seven years. An early cost estimate puts the total expense at $7 million before ALDOT pays its 80 percent, though preliminary engineering will give a more accurate dollar amount.

At the same meeting, Downes announced that the city will close on the 70-acre Altadena Valley Golf and Country Club on Dec. 29 as part of a plan to create a passive park and ball fields on the property. The council voted to approve the purchase of 0.42 acres on the west side of Altadena, currently owned by Jefferson County Environmental Services, as part of the creation of a west entrance to the park from Acton Road. The property will be bought for $10,000.

This would eliminate some traffic through residential areas, including a sharp turn on Acton Road near the east side of the property that many residents say is dangerous. The city is working on the purchase of a second parcel to complete the western entrance, and Downes said it would take roughly 12 months to build the road.