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Jeff Thompson
U.S. 31 widening and resurfacing
The Alabama Department of Transportation anticipates its widening and resurfacing project on U.S. 31 in Vestavia will be completed by this fall.
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Jeff Thompson
Improvements planned for U.S. 31
Drivers should see improvements by Thanksgiving.
Drivers along U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills could see road improvements as early as this fall. During an April meeting, the Vestavia Hills City Council authorized an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to repair and resurface U.S. 31.
ALDOT Division 3 Engineer Brian Davis said the project extends down U.S. 31 from the intersection of Columbiana Road to approximately one half mile north of Shades Crest Road, near the Sybil Temple on top of the hill. The project will include resurfacing and widening roads, reworking traffic signals, repairing loop detectors and placing permanent traffic stripes, guardrail end anchors and bridge rail retrofit.
“There is a joint up there from where we resurfaced that portion of U.S. 31 through Homewood last year,” Davis said.
On the southern side, ALDOT will begin a resurfacing and widening of U.S. 31 through Hoover in May. This project will extend north from the Cahaba River, cross under I-65 and connect with the Vestavia Hills resurfacing.
Davis said the projected timeline is to let bids in June and begin construction in late summer or early fall. He said ALDOT intends to complete the project before Thanksgiving.
City Manager Jeff Downes said the project will be fully ALDOT funded. During the April meeting, the Council noted the project’s success in surrounding communities.
“They did a really good job with this project in Homewood so we’re excited ALDOT is doing this here in Vestavia,” Councilman Jim Sharp said.
In addition to the road improvements, Mayor Butch Zaragoza noted the city is looking to improve its entrances.
He said current gateways such as the Sibyl Temple help make a great first impression for visitors; however, the intersection of Interstate 65 and U.S. 31 could be visually enhanced. The city has hired engineering firm Goodwyn Mills & Cawood to redesign the space with landscaping expected to be completed by the end of 2014. These gateway designs are part of a larger rebranding effort in Vestavia Hills.
