Year in Preview: Rocky Ridge Road construction, improvement studies planned
The city of Vestavia Hills is working on several projects throughout the area to improve roadways through both construction that will take place this year, as well as studies for work to be done in the future.
Rocky Ridge Road
The stretch of Rocky Ridge Road from Highway 280 to Lorna Road will see construction throughout the first half of 2016.
City Engineer Christopher Brady said the project, which is being funded through ALDOT, will utilize the services of Mid-South Paving. The first stage, which began in the fall, includes shoulder and guardrail improvements, which will continue throughout the next two or three months.
The resurfacing stage of the project will begin in late March or early April, depending on weather conditions and project progress.
Brady said that at that time, there will be signs encouraging drivers to find alternate routes or plan for significant travel-time allowances. He said at certain points, the project will require traffic be shut-down to one lane, and drivers will be led by a pilot car through the one-lane area.
The project does take into account high-volume times, and Brady said the contract requires that no lane closures occur before 8:30-9 a.m. and after 3:30-4 p.m.
“Be aware, be patient,” Brady said. “This is a necessary evil to get the road repaired.”
Sicard Hollow Road
A multi-jurisdiction project between Vestavia Hills, Jefferson County and the city of Birmingham is in the design phase of improving and repaving Sicard Hollow Road. Brady said the project will seek to improve road conditions from the Blue Lake Drive area to Grants Mill Road.
He said the project has a six-month design process to determine exactly what changes will be made, and will likely begin in late spring or early summer.
Road Improvement Studies
The city is working on two road improvement studies to be done over the course of 2016. One, an APPLE study, which is another Jefferson County led project, will focus on Acton Road from Interstate 459 to Camp Horner Road.
Brady said the project is a six-month process to look at the stretch of road and determine what updates need to be made. The project will focus on the demands created by new developments, such as those at the old Altadena Country Club.
“That will be to see what those plans and those developments, what kind of effect they would have on the widening project the county had already planned to do,” Brady said.
The City Council approved funding the city’s portion of the project at their meeting in October.
In addition to the APPLE study, another study will be done on sections of Cahaba River Road. The study will focus on the area from around Grandview Medical Center to Acton Road. Brady said the project will be another multi-jurisdiction project, and will likely be a one-year process.
Brady said both studies will look at overall improvements at road conditions and traffic flow, and will look specifically the implementation of turn lanes to help traffic flow more freely.