The City of Hartselle is hiring Johnson and Associates for $318,520 to update plans for the Thompson Road expansion project, which would create a five-lane road from I-65 to U.S. 31.

Dewayne Hellums, director of transportation for the Decatur Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, said $254,816 will paid by the MPO and Hartselle will be required to pay $63,704. He said the current plans are more than a decade old and must be updated to meet new federal highway requirements.

“It could take as much as a year to update the plans,” Hellums said. “Then it could take another year or two for the right of way acquisition, depending on whether or not you had to go into eminent domain. Once the right of way acquisition is completed, then you could move utilities and then begin construction on the project.”

Hartselle Department of Development Director Jeff Johnson added that Joe Wheeler Electric Cooperative is planning to upgrade the power system to the Morgan Center Business Park.

“They’re waiting to see where the new right of way is going to be before they begin construction on the power upgrade,” Johnson said.