Aerial photo courtesy of city of
The Woods turn lane map
The city of Hoover is applying for a $482,000 state grant to help add a right-turn lane at the entrance to The Woods community on the westbound part of Alabama 150 between Shades Crest Road and Ross Bridge Parkway.
The Hoover City Council on Monday night agreed to seek nearly $500,000 in grant money from the state for a right-turn lane on Alabama 150 at The Woods community between Shades Crest Road and Ross Bridge Parkway.
Residents for several years have been saying that westbound stretch of road has become more dangerous as people slow down while going downhill to turn into The Woods community.
There previously was a right-turn lane there, but when the state widened Alabama 150 to four through lanes in that area, the turn lane went away. Now, some residents of The Woods say they’re afraid of getting hit from behind as they slow down to turn.
There were two wrecks at that intersection from January 2018 to December 2020, the city said in its grant application.
Alabama 150 has a downhill grade of about 8.66% at the entrance to The Woods, and “the installation of a dedicated right turn lane to allow for proper deceleration for turning onto Whisperwood Drive will be a great safety improvement for the intersection,” the city said in the application.
The state already owns the right of way, and the land was cleared during the previous widening of Alabama 150, records show.
The total cost of the job is expected to be $722,273, City Engineer Chris Reeves said. The city already has paid $75,000 for the preliminary engineering work and received a permit from the Alabama Department of Transportation for the turn lane installation.
The city was prepared to use city money for the work but held off on the project due to financial concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reeves said. Now, the city saw an opportunity to apply for the state grant and decided to do so.
The grant would cover the expected cost of construction, further engineering and inspection, which is expected to be $482,273, Reeves said. The city and Jefferson County also would pay $82,500 each to relocate a sewer line along Alabama 150, he said.
The city likely won’t find out if it will receive the grant until after Jan. 1, Reeves said.
The proposed turn lane would stretch 275 feet back toward Shades Crest Road, with another 100 feet of pavement next to it, drawings show.
In other business Monday night, the Hoover City Council:
- Authorized another $168,000 worth of emergency repairs on public property related to the heavy downpours and flooding the city experienced on Oct. 6-7, including $60,000 for work on Preserve Parkway, $40,000 for work on Sierra Drive, $30,000 for repairs to the spillway for Howard Lake next to Hoover City Hall, $26,000 for work on three Riverchase sewer pump stations and a pump at the Riverchase sewer plant, $5,000 to repair a sinkhole on Cahaba River Estate Drive next to the Walmart Supercenter, $3,000 for work on South Sanders Road and $2,000 for a sidewalk repair on Chapel Road.
- Gave approval for a Camp Bow-Wow dog day care, grooming and training facility at 2153 Clearbrook Road next to the Bluff Park Village shopping center.
- Gave approval for Allesha Rowser to open a home day care with no more than five children at 3599 Deerfield Drive.
- Appointed Inverness resident Mitzi Eaker and Riverchase resident Lori Martin to fill vacancies on the Hoover Library Board following the resignation of board members Colleen Eikmeier and Ruth Cole and reappointed Hal Humphrey to the Library Board.
- Approved the creation of a Hoover Health Care Authority.
