The city has finalized plans for roadwork to be completed on Jackson Avenue through the downtown area.
Over the past several months, crews have been working to repair the city’s storm drainage system in the downtown area and making necessary repairs in anticipation of a repaving project that will begin June 24.
“Milling will begin on our Jackson Avenue paving project from Cotaco to Tuscaloosa streets on Monday, June 24,” Russellville Mayor David Grissom said.
“Rogers Group, who received the bid on the project, has agreed to do the project at night, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., in order to help our businesses and help with our downtown traffic on Jackson Avenue.”
After milling is complete, and the road is checked by the utility departments, paving will begin on Monday, July 8.
In the fall of 2012, city officials noticed the roadway had several places that appeared to be sunken in, and after further investigation, they discovered the cause was from the deteriorating storm drains that run underneath Jackson Avenue parallel to many of the streets downtown.
Grissom said the city applied for and received Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (ATRIP) funds to complete the resurfacing project and the repairs to the storm drainage system needed to be made before the ATRIP project could begin.
“It wouldn’t have made sense for us to do the repaving project and then go right back behind that and tear it up to fix the deteriorating storm drains,” Grissom said.
The ATRIP funding made the project possible, officials said.
“Without ATRIP funding we could not have done this project,” Grissom said.
The total cost is $427,260 with a city paid match of $85,452.
“It may be inconvenient for a short time, but with the Rogers Group and ALDOT agreeing to work over night, it will be much better on everyone,” Grissom said.
“It will be a great benefit to the city to have this work done and there are many people who worked together as a team to make it possible,” Grissom said.
“Special thanks to Roy Price and the Russellville Street Department, Chief Joe Mansell and Steve Thornton and the Russellville Fire Department, Greg Hovater, and all of our utility departments for their hard work. We also owe a special thanks to Gov. Robert Bentley for his leadership on ATRIP, Rickey Posey with Rogers Group, ALDOT, Keith Strickland and Mark Butcher for all of their help.
“We look forward to a successful project with everyone working together as a team. This project will benefit the people of Russellville for many years to come.”