A dangerous and deadly stretch of U.S. 43 in Colbert County is on track to becoming a much safer route for drivers. The safety improvements are very visible on the portion of the highway from the rock cut just north of Littleville to County Road 61.
On Friday, a machine hammered metal rods deep into the ground to secure the foundation for shiny new guard rails on U.S. 43. It's one of many safety improvements on the highway. Some of the others changes include lower speed limits, the addition of median barriers, and six miles of resurfacing.
"We've completed milling off the old pavement and placed the first layers of the new pavement," says James Brown, the Alabama Department of Transportation Division Engineer for northwest Alabama.
Brown says the new open-grade friction course will be a drastic change from the old pavement. The road will be much more skid resistant, which was a major concern after three deadly accidents in March.
"It's open enough so the voids can take the water away from the surface and it reduces the spray that might come from vehicle tires," explains Brown. "It also gets water off the roadway surface a little bitt faster."
Brown says next week, the median will be paved. Once that's done, a double-faced divider will be added to separate the northbound and southbound lanes. According to Brown, the repaving project is approximately sixty percent complete and will likely be fully done in the spring of 2009. In the meantime, ALDOT is asking drivers to be patient and cautious when traveling through the area.
"We want drivers to continue to be aware of the fact that they are in a construction zone and we do have workers and equipment that are trying to prepare the road for them," says Brown.
Law enforcement officers will patrol the work zone to make sure people obey the posted speed limit, which is currently 35 miles per hour.
On Friday, a machine hammered metal rods deep into the ground to secure the foundation for shiny new guard rails on U.S. 43. It's one of many safety improvements on the highway. Some of the others changes include lower speed limits, the addition of median barriers, and six miles of resurfacing.
"We've completed milling off the old pavement and placed the first layers of the new pavement," says James Brown, the Alabama Department of Transportation Division Engineer for northwest Alabama.
Brown says the new open-grade friction course will be a drastic change from the old pavement. The road will be much more skid resistant, which was a major concern after three deadly accidents in March.
"It's open enough so the voids can take the water away from the surface and it reduces the spray that might come from vehicle tires," explains Brown. "It also gets water off the roadway surface a little bitt faster."
Brown says next week, the median will be paved. Once that's done, a double-faced divider will be added to separate the northbound and southbound lanes. According to Brown, the repaving project is approximately sixty percent complete and will likely be fully done in the spring of 2009. In the meantime, ALDOT is asking drivers to be patient and cautious when traveling through the area.
"We want drivers to continue to be aware of the fact that they are in a construction zone and we do have workers and equipment that are trying to prepare the road for them," says Brown.
Law enforcement officers will patrol the work zone to make sure people obey the posted speed limit, which is currently 35 miles per hour.
