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WEST ALABAMA FREEWAY While some of those who attended a meeting last week on a proposed north-south freeway for west Alabama were interested in the route's potential impact on the economy, most seemed more interested from a purely personal point of view: "Would it go through my home or property?" A public involvement meeting was held at the Alabama Department of Transportation office in Grove Hill last Thursday and drew over 50 citizens from Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties. Fifteen ALDOT reps and consultants were present to try and and answer questions or listen to comments.
$6 million for study The state has been awarded $6 million for preliminary study of the route from Baldwin and Mobile counties on the south to the Quad Cities area and the Tennessee River on the north. The overall corridor is about two counties wide from the Mississippi line. Subcorridors running anywhere from approximately four to 12 miles wide are within the larger corridor. One starts in Baldwin County near Foley and runs northward, crossing the Alabama River near Gainestown and continuing northwesterly through Clarke County and into Choctaw County north of Coffeeville or turning northward west of Grove Hill and passing near Thomasville.
Two proposals crisscross in Clarke County Another starts near Interstate 10 in south Mobile County and runs northward near Citronelle and into Washington County where it splits. One leg turns easterly and crosses the Tombigbee River north of Jackson and connecting with the route out of Baldwin County. The other continues up the west side of Washington County and into Choctaw County where it intersects with the route that crosses over from Clarke County and continues northward into Sumter County. None of the subcorridors through Choctaw, Clarke or Washington counties pass directly through any of the larger communities or municipalities.
Property owners worried The comments heard over and over concerned the potential affect on personal property, homes and timberlands. Mary Ann Stallworth of Vinegar Bend said a freeway through the south end of Washington County "would wipe us out" according to the map she saw. "We have one of the largest if not the largest, TREASURE Forests in Alabama and it would get it all," she observed. Ronnie Hare of Grove Hill eyed the route through the New Prospect area and said it could affect his family's lands. "Why don't they use some of this money to fix the roads we have and the bridges that are out," he said. He mentioned a bridge in Washington County that has been closed for some time, causing many people to have to take long detours.
Subcorridors crisscross The subcorridors crisscross as they continue northward. They narrow substantially after crossing Interstate 20/59, to anywhere from only a mile to two miles wide. Mandy Phillips of DMJM Harris, an engineering firm working on the project, explained that a lot of the preliminary work has already been done from there northward to the Muscle Shoals area. The larger subcorridors will be narrowed similarly in south Alabama as the work develops, she said. ALDOT representatives cautioned that the project-if it is even a project-is only in the developmental stage. Much engineering work will have to be done before any actual groundwork is started. A north-south freeway for west Alabama has been discussed for years. Former Govs. Jim Folsom Jr. and Don Siegelman both talked about such a route when they were in office. Such a route has been touted as a possible help to economically depressed west Alabama and as a needed additional hurricane evacuation route for the coastal areas.
Few elected officials show The only elected officials at last week's meeting were State Rep. Nick Williams, R-Sims Chapel, Gilbertown Mayor Bobby Graham and Grove Hill Town Councilman Levon Hicks. Nancy Gibson of the Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce also attended. A similar meeting will be held at the Demopolis Civic Center Thursday, Oct. 12 from 5 until 7 p.m. Public comments are important to further refining the study corridors and should be submitted in writing within 10 days to Jerry L. Holt, Eighth Division Engineer, Alabama Department of Transportation, 129 Grove Hill Avenue East, Grove Hill, Ala. 36451.
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