Opelika city leaders have contracted a Birmingham engineering firm to undertake a traffic study for the widening of Second Avenue.
During the city council’s regular meeting Tuesday, members approved a contract between the city and Daniel, Mann, Johnson, Mendenhall & Harris for the study. City Engineer Walter “Doc” Dorsey said the traffic study would cover Gateway Drive to Fox Run Parkway and would not exceed a cost of $39,743.
“Because of the Celebrate Alabama project, I think we should amend the traffic study to go on out to Exit 64,” Councilman Dr. William Lazenby said. “Two years from now, I think they’ll have some part of it built. I think we need to be proactive not reactive.”
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller agreed. “Silver Companies (the project developer) may want to help pay the cost of the traffic study since it will be beneficial to them,” he said.
Celebrate Alabama, a major retail, entertainment and attractions development, is expected to span more than 535 acres along I-85 from Exits 64 to 66, according to Silver Companies and city officials.
Detention pond
Plans for a detention pond at Executive Park Drive are moving forward. The council approved an agreement Tuesday between the city and Hydro Engineering Solutions to build the storm water detention facility at Executive Park to address long-standing drainage issues there. The pond is expected to measure about 2 or 3-feet, Dorsey said. While Executive Park caters to businesses, officials said there are condos nearby. Councilman Clarence Harris asked if a fence would be erected around the detention pond as a safety precaution and asked about liability. “I’m concerned about a child drowning in it,” Harris said. City officials said they would look into the matter. At the last council meeting, the council approved the purchase of a lot in the vicinity of Executive Park owned by Betty M. Fuller for the construction of the detention pond. Gunter said the lot was valued at $49,900 and of that amount , the city paid $42,400. A landowner donation to the city totaled $7,500.
Fuller said rainfall flooding at Executive Park has been severe and said businesses there have been adversely affected.
“Whenever it rains, the water pools up,” Fuller said.
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