City hopes ALDOT plan will ease tensions

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
An Alabama Department of Transportation proposal could ease tensions among a group of business owners concerned about traffic flow at the corner of Highway 31 and 36.
Mayor Dwight Tankersley said ALDOT has proposed a left turn lane into Tankersley’s Service Center and the neighboring shopping center. Tankersley’s Service Center is owned by Kenneth Tankersley, Dwight Tankersley’s cousin.
The proposed turn lane still must be approved in Montgomery.
Kenneth Tankersley said he wasn’t able to comment on the proposed turn lane until it was approved by ALDOT but said he was open to alternatives to the existing plan.
Last week, the Hartselle Planning Commission approved the site plans for a new Walgreen’s Drug Store and O’Reilly’s Auto Parts. The plan would eliminate a median crossover used by southbound drivers to access six existing businesses – Auto Zone, Showcase Paint and Carpet, Best Way Rental, Coldwell Banker Real Estate and Sonic Drive-in – on Highway 31.
The plan calls for the median to be converted to a deceleration lane.
Kenneth Tankersley and others have asked for the deceleration lanes to stay as they are.
Dwight Tankersley said the city is still working with ALDOT to accommodate the new development and the existing businesses.
He said a common misconception is the city or the developer asked for the road changes.