By Gary Lloyd
The Trussville City Council on Tuesday authorized Mayor Gene Melton to close on the Ellison Investments, LLC, property on North Chalkville Road for a future right turn lane.
The property will cost the city of Trussville $250,000.
The city council earlier this month approved a memorandum of understanding between the city and Ellison Investments for the purchase of the 1,839-square-foot property.
Ellison Investments will rent the property from the city for $900 per month as part of the agreement.
Melton said other properties, such as a dentist’s office at the corner of North Chalkville Road and Linden Street, and Braden’s Furniture, will need to be acquired for the right turn lane. Melton said the dentist’s office appraises for $350,000 but the owner has asked for $370,000 for the property. Melton said he didn’t know the appraisal value of Braden’s Furniture, which will likely be relocated once construction begins.
Melton said earlier this month that it would cost about $2.2 million to acquire all the property necessary to construct the turn lane.
Trussville hopes to have a dedicated right turn lane from Vann Circle to the Main Street intersection in place by 2016. Melton guessed construction of the right turn lane would cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.
Melton said the city has to work to acquire the properties because the federal government declared the area historic and would not help with the project.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.