By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — The city of Trussville has closed on property for the extension of Valley Road to the Pinnacle at Tutwiler Farm shopping center, Mayor Gene Melton said last week.
The Trussville City Council in December approved of Melton closing on the property on Roosevelt Boulevard for $1.425 million.
The council in October authorized Melton to sign a quote for MAA Inc., which Colonial Properties is a part of, to sell two parcels of land at the shopping center to the city for $1.425 million. There will be only one remaining parcel of land for the city to obtain from an owner in Florida.
Trussville Mayor Gene Melton
file photo by Ron Burkett
Melton said in December that the acquisition will be paid for with short-term bond money out of the city’s general fund.
Melton said next steps are to finalize the right-of-way with Guy Martin, who owns part of the property that will be affected. Martin has agreed to this, Melton said.
Melton said the site is in its final stages of engineering. Once engineering is complete, a cost for the building of the road will be available, Melton said. He said the task then will be too determine how to fund the project.
Future plans are to have a three-way intersection on Valley Road, and the new connection will run parallel to Interstate 59. Melton said last year that construction of the new road will be between $2 million and $3 million, though the city will seek federal and state funding. Melton said the road could be built in the next two or three years.
The road will begin at the sharp curve along Valley Road and emerge behind hhgregg. The goal is to take traffic congestion away from Chalkville Road and U.S. Highway 11.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
