There is a well-known adage that goes something like this: A watched road never gets paved.

Limestone County resident Rocky Jenkins believes this is true. He called The News Courier a couple of weeks ago complaining about the Fifth Avenue bridge and wondering when it would be reopened.

As if the city’s ears were ringing, officials celebrated the reopening of the Fifth Avenue bridge Friday morning.

The city began replacing the substandard span in January, said Street Department Director Dolph Bradford. Unfortunately, the city picked the worst three months in modern history to replace it. The Tennessee Valley Authority reported that the first quarter of 2020 was the Valley’s wettest in 131 years of weather records.

“We were only able to get in there and work about two days a week,” Bradford said of the bridge work.

While the new bridge is open, the city still has to install longer and safer side rails. That work will begin about a month from now, when the rails arrive, and take about a half day, Bradford said.

Also in about a month, Reed Construction will begin widening and paving the rest of Fifth Avenue, from Hine to Market Street. Reed has a project elsewhere in Alabama to finish first, Bradford said.

“The council approved some other streets for paving (by Reed), so we hope they will get to this while they are here,” Bradford said.

About two years ago, Reed paved Fifth Avenue from Hine to Jefferson Street. The narrow road was widened about 12 to 18 inches on each side and the shoulders were built up. The same will be done for the rest of Fifth Avenue.

Beyond that, Bradford hopes the city will consider adding some sidewalks on Hine Street.