| Public Input on HPP Projects for Cullman County |
Fri 5/29/2009 12:01 PM I would like to voice my support in favor of the project to widen Hwy 157 between Hwy 31 and Hwy 69. While all three projects will benefit Cullman County, I believe that improving Hwy 157 will provide the greatest return on the investment. In my opinion, the Hwy 157 corridor has tremendous potential for growth. The additional lanes will encourage investment in residential, commercial, professional and industrial growth thereby affecting a broad spectrum of city and county residents. I do not see the other projects as having the same broad economic impact on the people of Cullman.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide my input, especially by email. |
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Fri 5/29/2009 11:59 AM Chairman Graves, I ask that you place a priority request on the expansion of Highway 157 for several reasons: 1. Public health and safety: I travel on 157 to and from work everyday as the owner of Specialty Pharmacy. I often see ambulances attempting to get through very congested traffic in order to get to the ER at CRMC. Often traffic is so backed up, especially around the intersection of Childhaven Road and Eva Road, that the ambulances have to unnecessarily wait to pass. 2. Continued expansion of CRMC and the new Industrial Park where Yutaka and Royal Technologies new facilities are located. As the economy eventually turns around, they will be adding more employees which, in turn, will add more traffic to this highway. 3. Length of time to construct necessary bridges over Lake Catoma as well as the railroad tracks. We can not start soon enough on these as they will take additional time to construct.Thank you for your consideration and seeking the citizens of Cullman County's input. |
Wed 5/27/2009 1:30 PM Opinion called in to Commission Office: Caller is vehemently opposed to plans as they are now for 278. It would be better to do a “ring road” from 278W in Baldwin to connect with Hwy 157. The expansion for Hwy 157 should be done. The New 69 should be run over to East Point where Hwy 69, 278, and 157 converge, a “ring road”. A connecting road from Dodge City to Baldwin, another “ring road” would complete a by-pass that has been proposed about 36 years ago. Caller objects to building a bridge on the north side of 8 mile creek as it would cause the loss of historic homes and the destruction of 100 year old stone work (Schweigart & Schmidt) . Caller feels the four or five lane would be o.k. to the current bridge at St. Bernard, but should end at Convent Road to save the historic features of Cullman. |
Tue 5/19/2009 8:44 AM I approve of the proposed AL Hwy 157, US Hwy 278E, and CR22 and I-65 Interchange projects. The sooner they get completed there should be smoother traffic flow and hopefully less oportunity for traffic accidents. |
Fri 5/15/2009 10:58 AM We really need to expedite this Highway 157 Four-lane project if at all possible. This is not only a safety issue, but will enhance patient and visitor flow on and off campus. Any way you can get this back before the legislators and authorities for consideration and completion would be appreciated. |
Thu 5/14/2009 12:11 PM Dear Commissioner Graves, this email is to let you know that [we] support the high priority projects proposed by the Cullman County Commission as described in The Cullman Times article. Thank you for pursuing these projects and grants. |
Thu 5/14/2009 11:18 AM Hello Commissioner Graves, I wanted to take a moment and urge you to do all you can to give prompt attention to the four lane project of Hwy 157. This will help address the congestion issues we are facing as this part of our community grows. Please consider using your influence as our County Commission Chairman to give this project the attention it deserves. Thanks for your time and attention to this matter. |
Thu 5/14/2009 11:02 AM Dear Mr Graves, 1. In regards to the three high priority projects, which were agreed upon by the county commission and the Cullman City Council, I approve of the four-lane expansion of Alabama Highway 157 from U.S. Highway 31 to Alabama Highway 69. This has been needing to have been done a long time ago. There is a great deal of traffic usage on this part of AL Hwy 157, that makes it a royal pain in the butt to use otherwise.
2. In regards to the four-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 278 from 4th Ave. in downtown Cullman to Alabama Highway 69 at East Point, I agreed that this is something that needs to be done. Because U.S. Hwy 278 is old, outdated and outright dangerous in some parts of Cullman County. Yet it remains to be a key and very important road inside of Cullman County. Therefore, any improvements that can be done to it will be well spent time and money.
3. In regards to the third project involves an interchange from County Road 222 onto Interstate 65, I feel that this will be very helpful to Cullman County. So we must remember the saying: "No Pain; No Grain". Yes, while this project is being done, it will be uncomfortable to travel this section of County Road 222. But this is something that needs to be done in the long run for the businesses and well being of the people living in this area of Cullman County. |
Thu 5/14/2009 10:10 AM As for the Co Rd 222 exchange. I think that this will be a very good addition to the county. The Smith Lake region will benefit greatly as well as the industrial park. Plus it will be useful when the traffic has to be diverted because of an interstate problem. |
Thu 5/14/2009 9:44 AM I am very excited about all three projects. I drive down highway 69 from Baileyton everyday to work and the four-lane expansion of Hwy 278 from downtown Cullman to East Point would be great. It gets congested in the mornings and afternoons. The four-lane expansion project for Hwy 157 from Hwy 31 to 69 has been needful for so many years to make this a much safer drive. |
Thu 5/14/2009 9:17 AM I travel both Hwy 157 and Hwy 278 each day to work and back and the road expansion is definitely needed. The amount of traffic is definitely too heavy for those roads to be only 2 lane. Also I also travel on Road 222 some and I think it would be a great idea to have that as an exit onto Hwy 65. I have friends that live in that area and travel the interstate to work each day, Being able to get onto I-65 from Rd 222 without going around the world to do it would be great. |
Thu 5/14/2009 5:43 AM Cullman County Commission It is my understanding that the Commission is soliciting public input on upcoming road projects.......three high priority projects, which were agreed upon by the county commission and the Cullman City Council, include a four-lane expansion of Alabama Highway 157 from U.S. Highway 31 to Alabama Highway 69 and a four-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 278 from 4th Ave. in downtown Cullman to Alabama Highway 69 at East Point. The third project involves an interchange from County Road 222 onto Interstate 65.
Frankly, I'm not in favor of such projects at this time. It's high time that we upgrade the sub-par roads in the outlying areas of the county before spending more on roads that have at least been paved over those that never have. I understand the importance of Highways 157 and 278, as well as C.R. 222 to the future progress of our area, but at some point we have to bring the rest of the county along with what has already been done.
I live on C.R. 537 in the River Bend area. The little road has never seen pavement, has no drainage......it's akin to a goat trail at times.......but I think those of us who live out here do love it. At any rate, the bureaucratic strictures imposed by both state and county seem to prevent us from having anything resembling a decent road. The maintenance program for this road is ineffective at best as it does nothing more than ruin what we residents and Mother Nature do over time to make it passable. The county must "maintain" the road in that it receives funding to do so, and state rules preclude paving the little road without obtaining rights-of-way that would consume half of our properties.
My input is to fix what we already have......to at least an acceptable level. Let's pave and repair what we already have. Let's put in 6-inch water lines all around so that folks such as myself could save about $500 per year that I could spend on other things.......that's money back into the county's pocket. |
Thu 5/14/2009 1:07 AM hi yes co rd 222 that would be good to have an interchange there, very helpful for truckers who need to get that way to. i also would like to point out hwy 278 from I 65 towards jones chapel, that road is very dangerous especially when someone stops real fast in front of a car to make turns off hwy 278, i cant seem to figure out why they have not added and median in the center for making left turns or even made this US Hwy a 4 lane when you got hills and curves and people stoppin without signals to make right and left turns it can be very dangerous if not deadly. with semi trailers coming around curves and hills and then wam theres a stopped car waiting to turn and next thing theres a serious wreck. ive noticed the paving thats goin on but didnt see any widening or adding of lanes or even a center median that would help stop alot of senseless accidents and deaths/injuries if youve ever been done 278 and drive towards jones chapel youll see the hairpen curves that are very dangerous, especially when a semi trailer is coming thru. |
Wed 5/13/2009 10:26 PM I think all three of the ideas on the road expansions and exit are a great idea. Espicially the 4 laning of 157. Its so crowded in the mornings and in the afternoon it takes forever to get from 31 to 69. It will also be good for when new plants are built over around Yutaka. I also think an exit at 222 is a very good idea. Thanks |
Wed 5/13/2009 8:58 AM Dear Sir,
It is apparent to anyone that the proposed widening of 157 to 4 lanes is long overdue. The sooner it can be finished the better. It is important for our hospital access as well as relieving some of the traffic on 278 East until it can be widened. While 278 has some right of way issues 157 is ready to go. I feel the 157 bypass needs top priority for widening followed by the interchange at 222 and I 65. |
Wed 5/13/2009 8:25 AM Good Morning,
I am for any kind of improvement that we can do for Cullman. Cullman has grown so much! Let's keep it growing. However, if you have any contact with the people over the city roads, PLEASE ask them to get them fixed!!!!!! I live in the city and the streets are horrible, absolutely horrible. Going down 31 is a nightmare if you are in any of the outside lanes. Tell them to stop patching and get to work replacing them!!
Thank you for letting me get this off my chest. |
Wed 5/13/2009 7:06 AM Hello, my concern is about 157 from Highway 31 to Highway 278. It is bad enough for regular traffic, but is harder for emergency vehicles to get through during morning rush and afternoon rush hours. I and several others in and around feel the same way. That stretch of Highway needs to be 4 laned bad.
Thanks so much. |
Tue 5/12/2009 4:53 PM Dear Commissioner Graves, Thank you for asking input on the needed road projects in our county. We use all the roads that you mentioned in the paper this morning. We especially think that 157 is in more need of four lanes for traffic than the others. The traffic backs up consistantly between 31 and the hospital. It is almost impossible to turn left onto 157 from Sharpton Road. We also travel 278 to our home just off Convent Road and find that at certain times of the day it is congested, but not as bad as 157. We have relatives that live on 222 and they are concerned about the situation at that interchange. We have been in traffic in the afternoon when the plants change shifts and it does have traffic backed up at that time. The biggest problem, we think, is 157. We appreciate the opportunity of getting to express our thoughts. |