Sidewalk awning work held up in engineering

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
The installation of new sidewalk awnings in downtown Hartselle is still alive but may be held up a few weeks longer than expected because of a cost issue involving new traffic signal poles.
Speaking at a meeting of downtown merchants on Jan. 17, Jeff Johnson, the city’s Department of Development director, said he, the mayor and the project engineer are currently negotiating with the State Department of Transportation for its approval to use decorative signal poles at the intersections.
He said the poles in question are priced at $700 each installed. Eight are needed, four at each intersection.
Resolution of the signal pole issue is all that’s lacking before the revised engineering plans are resubmitted to ALDOT for final approval, Johnson said.
Johnson said construction will begin at Railroad Street and be limited to one block at a time. Phase one will not involve the block of awnings from Hickory to Corsbie Street. That work will come under phase two of the project.