Corridor plan shown for Highway 36 relocation

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A public involvement meeting on the proposed widening and relocation of Highway 36 from I-65 to Hammitt Street (North Hartselle Bypass) attracted a lot of interest among property owners with vested interests on Thursday afternoon.
The informal, come-and-go meeting was conducted in the City Hall Auditorium from 5-7 p.m. More than 50 people registered during the first hour. They included city officials and representatives of Division I of the Alabama Highway Department.
In an opening statement, Curtis Vincent, assistant Division I engineer, introduced ALDOT representatives present and invited public input in the form of written comments either left with the meeting registrar or returned by mail or e-mail within 10 days of the meeting.
Jeff Johnson, director of Hartselle’s Department of Development, also spoke briefly. He called attention to the proposed route of the 1.8 mile corridor as depicted on wall maps and explained that only the proposed five-lane segment from I-65 to Roan Road is partially funded and is currently undergoing design and engineering. The other segment from Roan Road to Hammitt Street was included only for the purpose of having an environmental impact assessment done.
Another segment of the project is under construction. It consists of the replacement of the old wooden CSX railroad bridge on Hammitt Street and the construction of a connecting roadway from Longhorn Pass to Georgia Street.
The corridor of the five-lane segment calls for a 100-ft. right-of-way, or 10 additional feet on either side of the existing right-of-way.
The purpose of the bypass is to accommodate projected increases in traffic volume and allow traffic to flow more efficiently.