Hoover officials propose restoring turn lane on Alabama 150 due to safety concerns

Hoover city officials tonight met with a group of residents who live off Alabama 150 near Deer Valley and said they hope to address a traffic safety issue related to the recent widening of the state highway.

When the state widened Alabama 150 from Shades Crest Road to the Lake Cyrus community, it eliminated a right-turn lane that had been used to turn into a subdivision called The Woods as people head west on 150.

Now, that lane continues on straight all the way to Lake Cyrus, and residents who live in The Woods say it has gotten very scary as they slow down going down the hill to make the turn into their community.

“We have to get really worried about whether we’re going to get hit from behind when we turn into our subdivision,” said Cheryl Hill, president of The Woods homeowners group.

Other drivers don’t slow down and honk at them as they make the turn, Hill said. One person was almost hit by a large truck, she said.

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, council members Derrick Murphy and Gene Smith, City Administrator Allan Rice and the city’s chief operations officer, Tim Westhoven, met with about 30 residents tonight at the Hoover YMCA.

Brocato said he would like the city to build a right-turn lane for The Woods community.

Westhoven said he believes there is sufficient right of way to add a a 275-foot-long turn lane plus another 100 feet of asphalt, and it likely would cost about $300,000.

Brocato said that the city could use gasoline tax money for the turn lane and that there is money available from that fund for such a project.

City officials tried to get the turn lane added into the state’s project, which won’t be completed until the final coat of asphalt is put down, but state officials told them they would rather complete the widening project and let the city pursue the turn lane as a separate project, Westhoven said.

If the City Council gives approval for such an expenditure, Westhoven said he would have to get it designed and seek bids from contractors to add the turn lane. The Alabama Department of Transportation would have to review the plans and give approval for the project to move forward, he said.

Sometimes, that can be a tedious process, but the city has a good working relationship with ALDOT and he hopes they could help move the project along in a timely manner, he said.

The state has indicated that the turn lane project could not begin until the state’s contractor has completed the widening project, he said. Residents and the state alike are eager to complete the widening project, but the arrival of winter temperatures and a lot of rain has delayed the final asphalt coat, Westhoven said.

The contractor needs both warm and dry conditions to be able to finish the job, he said.

Murphy asked whether, in the meantime, signs could be installed on Alabama 150, warning motorists to slow down as they go down the hill there. Westhoven said that would be up to the state to decide since the state controls signs on its rights of way.

A resident of The Woods asked if police could put an officer there to help enforce the speed limit and deter speeders, and Brocato said he’s sure the Police Department could do that.

Another resident asked if the city could do something to replace all the trees and vegetation that was eliminated along Alabama 150 as part of the road widening project.

Westhoven said the city has allocated $100,000 to relandscape both sides of the highway there. That work also will have to wait until after the widening project is complete, he said.

Hill said she appreciates the mayor, council members and staff meeting with residents tonight and working to address the problem. Now, she just hopes they follow through with the solution.