Jefferson County works to address sewer odors and traffic, commissioner tells chamber

Jefferson County is investing millions of dollars to take care of sewage and traffic issues in the Hoover area, County Commission President Jimmie Stephens told the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce today.

The county gets a lot of complaints about odors coming from sewer lines and pump stations and has been working diligently to address those and other sewage issues, Stephens told a crowd at the Hoover Country Club.

The county has invested $91 million in upgrades to wastewater treatment facilities in this part of the county, including a $43.6 million upgrade of the Cahaba River waste reclamation facility and the Al Seier pump station, Stephens said.

The county spent $3 million to replace a faulty air release valve that was contributing to odor problems at a sewer pump station on Stadium Trace Parkway and also has been working on odor control issues at the sewer facilities at Scotts Branch and Parkwood Road, he said.

The county also recently has done sewer work at the Hoover High School football stadium and replaced sewer lines in the vicinity of Alabama 150 and Shades Crest Road, Stephens said.

There is a $9.5 million project actively under construction with the Cahaba solid transfer line and Riverchase pump station, and there are many more improvements coming for the future, he said.

None of the projects are cheap. All represent a significant capital investment, but “if that doesn’t fix it, we’ll keep working,” Stephens said. It’s a quality of life issue, he said.

Managing nine wastewater treatment plants and more than 3,500 miles of sanitary sewer lines for 23 municipalities, unincorporated areas in Jefferson County and parts of Shelby and St. Clair counties is quite a task, Stephens said.

“One hundred million gallons of waste per day is a challenge for any system,” he said.

Sewer rate increases that are part of the county’s plan to recover from bankruptcy are helping take care of debt service, operations, maintenance and capital expenditures, Stephens said.

The bankruptcy plan is working, he said. Sewer revenues are above projections, while sewer expenses are below projections, and capital improvements are under way, he said.

The county has a $150 million project scheduled in 2023 due to an unfunded federal mandate to reduce phosphorus levels in wastewater discharges but believes it will be able to put that project off a while, Stephens said.

ROAD PROJECTS

The commission president also discussed several county road projects in and around Hoover:

Morgan Road — The county currently is milling asphalt on the north side of Interstate 459 and should have that portion of Morgan Road repaved in the next two weeks, Stephens said. Work has begun to add turn lanes and a new traffic signal at the interstate interchange, as well as a dedicated transition lane from Parkwood Road onto Morgan Road to allow vehicles to get on the freeway without stopping, he said.

In June, the county plans to seek bids to widen Morgan Road from two to five lanes from I-459 to South Shades Crest Road. That project is estimated to cost $20 million and take two to three years.

Galleria Boulevard extension — The county is in the final phase of acquiring right of way to extend Galleria Boulevard from John Hawkins Parkway to Old Montgomery Highway and hopes to open bids on that project in June 2020, said Cal Markert, the deputy county manager over roads and transportation. That project in the past was expected to cost $5.8 million.

Patton Chapel Road widening — A project to add a middle turn lane on Patton Chapel Road between Crayrich Drive and Chapel Road and to replace the bridge over Patton Creek has been in the works for 20 years but is getting closer to reality, Markert said. The county has had some trouble getting agreements for utility relocation, but those issues have now been resolved, he said. The county hopes to open bids on that project in June or July. That project also involves realigning the intersection of Patton Chapel Road, Chapel Road and Preserve Parkway.

The county is responsible for more than 2,000 miles worth of roads, 310 bridges and 11,500 drainage crossings and mows 5,000 acres of roadsides each year, Stephens said. Last year, the county bought new paving equipment and paved 150 miles of roads with county crews and contractors, he said.

Stephens also noted he is contributing $50,000 per year for the next four years to the new Explore playground at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex out of his taxpayer-funded discretionary fund. That playground is designed for all children but includes elements specifically designed to accommodate children and adults with special needs, including sensory components for people with physical disabilities and sight and hearing impairments.

The commission president also informed the chamber crowd that the Jefferson County Commission today voted 3-2 to transfer Cooper Green Mercy Health Services to a health care authority under the control of UAB Medical Services

Stephens was joined by Commissioners Joe Knight and Steve Ammons in voting for the transfer of control, while the move was opposed by Commissioners Lashunda Scales and Sheila Tyson.

The new health care authority will have four members appointed by UAB and three appointed by the county.

After the luncheon, Stephens said he voted for the transfer of control because he believes UAB has the medical expertise and economies of scale to better serve the indigent population in Jefferson County.

“I believe you will see an enhanced quality of care for those who are less fortunate,” he said. “It’s good to get that behind us. We make tough decisions irrespective of political consequences. I think that five years from now, we’re going to look back at this and say a job well done.”