The city of Athens has several infrastructure projects lined up for 2019, but the closure and replacement of the bridges on Forrest Street will likely impact more drivers than any other.

The bridges will close March 4 and could be closed for up to 18 months, depending on weather and speed of construction. Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said there are no bonuses in the contract for work finishing early, nor are there penalties for finishing late.

“We hope we don’t get 55 inches of rainfall,” he said. “We hope it doesn’t take 24 months.”

The project, which dates back to 2013, is part of the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, a $1-billion bond issue designed to improve infrastructure statewide. Athens’ share of the program was about $11 million to $12 million. The bridge replacement project is the last on the city’s list.

The cost of the project is estimated to be $4 million, with the city’s portion being about $1.456 million. That includes the cost of engineering and inspection services.

Athens Public Works Director James Rich previously explained the bridges are “structurally deficient” by today’s standards. The current bridges are 20 feet wide and 100 feet long. The new bridges will be about 40 feet wide and 180 feet long. The new bridges will include bridge parapets, or safety barriers, and a pedestrian lane so residents can walk to the Swan Creek Greenway.

Rich said all utilities have been relocated from the site, with the exception of AT&T. Once all utilities are relocated, contractor Miller and Miller will be given a notice to proceed. That will coincide with a two-week notification period about detours. Detours will be shared on social media, through traditional media and via message boards on city streets.

The primary detour routes will be Lindsay Lane, Alabama 251 and U.S. 72. Drivers should consider using Interstate 65, especially if they need to go to Athens High School or the north side of town.

Drainage improvements

Another project scheduled to kick off this year will be drainage improvements on First Avenue, Horton Street and Hobbs Street. The city received a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The estimated cost of the project is $609,560.10.

The crux of the project is to ease flooding in the affected areas and reroute the water to Town Creek.

Residents have long expressed concern about the tendency of the area to flood during a moderately heavy rain. The aging drainage system doesn’t handle the amount of water that gathers around iAcademy.

“We’re going to have to disrupt some people with a lot of curb and drainage (work), but we’ll make sure we communicate that,” Mark said.

Downtown improvements

Work is still continuing around The Square in downtown Athens. The project includes corner crossings to and from the courthouse, removing the middle crosswalks that are in oncoming traffic, making sidewalks wheelchair accessible and installing energy-efficient lighting.

Most of the project is being funded through a TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) grant, funded by the Alabama Department of Transportation. Premiere Structures received the bid at $440,156. ALDOT funds 80 percent and the city 20 percent.

To add to the improvements, Athens-Limestone Tourism, Athens Rotary and Athens Main Street donated $15,000 each for the city and Limestone County Commission improvements on the Marion Street side, where events occur. This included new lights the county installed around the courthouse and an electrical box Athens Utilities installed to handle electrical needs for entertainment and vendors.

Marks said he hopes the work will be completed by March or April and then “settle a few months.” The streets around The Square will then be resurfaced in August.

Other streets

Marks said he knows there are several streets in the city limits that need attention and added the City Council has about $1 million it can allocate to those improvements. Those funds come from the city’s Capital Infrastructure Fund, which is supplemented through a 1-cent sales tax passed by the City Council in 2012.

Marks said he would work with council members and the Public Works Department to assess which streets need the most attention.