City of Notasulga celebrates opening of long-awaited bridge

NOTASULGA — Pick a name for the newly opened bridge on Macon County Road 54:

- ALDOT calls it the Main Street Bridge in their news release;

- Notasulga Mayor Frank Tew said the city council passed a resolution naming it the Cunningham-Rogers Bridge, for Congressman Mike Rogers and former Macon County Commissioner Jimmy Cunningham;

- and local resident Donnie Thomas claims it as his bridge as his motorized wheelchair was the first vehicle over the bridge and his name, “Donnie,” is written in the edge of the concrete sidewalk.

Without a mention of the bridge’s name, Alabama Department of Transportation Director Joe McInnes joined federal, state, Macon County and city officials as well as townspeople to cut a ribbon to mark the official opening of the bridge on Macon County Road 54 crossing the railroad tracks dividing downtown since the bridge closed in 2004.

McInnes described the structure as a safe, wide modern bridge that took a little longer to complete because of federal regulations.

“The newly completed bridge replaces the 100-year-old bridge that once spanned across the CXS railroad tracks and connects the town with the surrounding community,” states an ALDOT news release. “State and federal funding helped construct the new $1,410,797 bridge.

“The local bridge was closed in June 2004 after failing inspections, creating the need for a detour. The old bridge was torn down in 2006. When estimates for replacing the 100-year-old local bridge came in at more than $1 million, city and county officials turned to ALDOT for help.

“State officials stepped in and provided state and federal funds and managed the construction. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Feb. 15, 2008, with the low-bid construction project awarded to McInnis LLC of Montgomery. The new bridge opened for traffic June 8.”

Cunningham said credit for the bridge needed to go to Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, Rogers and McInnes.

“Nobody’s child should have to cross (railroad tracks) under those conditions,” Cunningham said. “This was something we had to have.”

The bridge, closed and under construction, had kept this community divided having residents and the city schools on one side and the police, fire, emergency vehicles and downtown businesses on the other. An unprotected railroad crossing was the only option in the beginning.

Council member Brenda Bowman described the danger of that railroad crossing during those years.

“George Grimes, a resident of Notasulga, used to stand at the crossing every morning and every evening,” she said.

She said Grimes was there to warn the school bus drivers and others of oncoming trains. “The crossing was quite dangerous for trains coming from Auburn.”

Notasulga’s mayor welcomed everyone to the official opening and ribbon cutting.

“I’ve been waiting five years for this,” Tew said. “The bridge is open.

“This is a bridge we can be proud of for the rest of our lives.”