Insurance agreement clears way for bridge work

By By Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle, the Alabama Department of Transportation and CSX Railroad have reached an agreement that clears the way for work to begin on the Hammitt Street bridge project.
The long-awaited project had encountered another obstacle recently when ALDOT and CSX disagreed over the amount of required insurance. CSX wanted the state to pay for more insurance, something ALDOT didn’t want to do. Now, through an agreement brokered by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, the city will pay for the increased cost of the premium up to $3,000.
Hartselle’s agreement allow the city to move ahead with the project and engineering will begin in November.
Previously, Orr had helped the city overcome another hurdle when he worked out a deal making the city responsible for up to $300,000 above the estimated costs of the project as opposed to some $1.2 million as stipulated in the original documents.
The replacement of the Hammett Street Bridge has been a long saga for city officials, who’ve seen the project delayed several times. The old wooden structure is not able to accommodate buses or emergency vehicles.
If engineering proceeds on schedule, construction work on the bridge will begin in 2009.