By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Council on Thursday authorized Mayor Gene Melton to sign a contract with Skipper Consulting for the North Chalkville Road widening project.
The contract is for $11,800.
Melton said Skipper Consulting will do work for the city with the Alabama Department of Transportation for the future right turn lane at the intersection of North Chalkville Road and Main Street.
Melton said he’s still in the process of acquiring necessary right-of-way for the right turn lane, which will stretch from the intersection to Vann Circle. Several properties have already been acquired by the city.
Melton said last year that it would cost about $2.2 million to acquire all the property necessary to construct the turn lane. The construction of the right turn lane will likely cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.
The goal is to have the right turn lane in place sometime in 2016.
Melton has 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.