ALDOT hosts public involvement meeting for Cahaba Beach Road project
ALDOT presented a narrowed list of options for reconnecting U.S. 280 and Sicard Hollow Road via Cahaba Beach Road at a public involvement meeting tonight.
The meeting, held at Liberty Park Middle, was a chance for residents and interested citizens to see the proposed routes from Swan Drive to Sicard Hollow, all of which include a bridge over the Little Cahaba River, and share their comments.
There were four alternatives presented tonight – an east, central and west option with a secondary east alternative – which is a decrease from the roughly 10 alternatives presented in a similar meeting last October. The option not to build the road remains on the table as well.
The westernmost route would connect the two halves of Cahaba Beach Road on either side of the river, closely following the former road's path. It would be about 9,200 feet long and include a 290-foot bridge. A presentation slide at the meeting estimated the cost at $10.1 million.
The center route would travel north from Swan Drive and connect at a point where Sicard Hollow and the river are right beside each other, requiring a bridge to pass over both the river and Sicard Hollow to meet environmental requirements. The road would feed into Sicard Hollow on the northern side instead of the southern side. It would be about 8,400 feet long and would include a 310-foot bridge. The cost is estimated at $15 million.
The two eastern options would travel roughly parallel to Brook Highland-area neighborhoods before turning to meet Sicard Hollow Road. These two options are the longest – either 9,900 feet or 11,100 feet – and would require a longer bridge – 869 feet or 510 feet – to cross over the river and protected wetlands. The presentation slide projected the cost at $16-18 million.
The eastern and central route options are projected to carry more than 11,000 daily cars by 2040, while the western route is projected to carry about 8,900 per day.
Many of those who attended the public involvement meeting wore blue "no build" stickers expressing their opposition to the road project. Keeping the land between the existing Cahaba Beach Road and Sicard Hollow Road undeveloped was a primary concern, as well as protecting the river and drinking water source from potential pollution and runoff. The Cahaba Riverkeeper has led local efforts to oppose the development.
"I can see an inevitable encroachment," said Lou Pfau, one attendee who opposed the road. He said the short-term benefit of a connecting road would be outweighed by longterm environmental hazards and the loss of undeveloped woodland areas. "That just seems sinful."
Some environmental studies have begun but are not complete, and ALDOT East Central Region Engineer DeJarvis Leonard said intensive study of the environmental impact will not be done until a preferred route is selected. There are strict development requirements regarding runoff and river conditions, Leonard said, and if the project goes to construction it would meet all of those standards.
Due to the number of people with concerns and opposition to the project, Leonard said they are taking "very deliberate" steps to be thorough about their study. He anticipated a full year of environmental study of the proposed project site, followed by more public hearings to present the results. Shumer Consulting is lading the environmental study aspect of the project.
The goal of reconnecting Cahaba Beach Road, Darrell Skipper of Skipper Consulting said, is better connectivity between U.S. 280 and Sicard Hollow Road. While he doesn't anticipate a major reduction in cars on 280, Skipper said it would give another option for local drivers to more easily reach 280-area stores, as well as convenience for potential future developments. A feasibility study underway on realigning Grants Mill Road has a similar goal.
"This is just a small glimpse of an overall connectivity strategy," Skipper said.
Skipper consulting planner Mickey Hall said Sicard Hollow Road currently serves about 5,000 cars a day but is expected to grow to 10,000-11,000 per day by 2040 even without the Cahaba Beach Road connection. If the connection project was constructed, Skipper anticipated 13,000-16,000 cars per day by 2040, depending on which of the routes was chosen.
Public comments submitted at tonight's meeting will be collected and studied by ALDOT officials before considering which option to proceed with environmental studies and further design. The public can also submit a comment form by Nov. 4 to:
DeJarvis Leonard, Region Engineer
East Central Region - Birmingham Area
1020 Bankhead Highway West
Birmingham, AL 35202
ATTN: Sandra F.P. Bonner