Washington paving won’t hit Athens downtown ’til next year

Published 6:30 am Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The milling and paving of Washington Street in Athens will begin in the next 60 days, but it will not interfere with fall and Christmas festivities on the Square, an official said.

That is because the repaving of Washington along the Square won’t begin until next year.

Public Works Director James Rich briefed City Council members on the repaving schedule during their regular meeting Monday. He said the city was careful to schedule work on Washington in the downtown area until early next year so as not to interfere with fall and Christmas activities and shopping.

In 2015, the city performed intersection and sidewalk improvements on Washington that inflamed some Washington Street business owners who said it decreased fall and Christmas shopping traffic.

Rich said the current project involves milling and paving Washington from Hoffman Street to U.S. 72.

Rich said Phase I of the work will include the street from Hine to Houston streets and then from Clinton to Hoffman streets. Phase II will include everything else.

The downtown section of Washington will begin in spring 2018, Rich said.

During the meeting, council members voted 5-0 to approve a resolution to enter an agreement with the state of Alabama, acting by and through the Alabama Department of Transportation, for resurfacing the shoulders on Washington from 72 to Hoffman, which is located near Athens Bible School.