Is Northport Finally Moving Forward On Long-Awaited MLK Boulevard Improvements?

NORTHPORT, AL — The City of Northport seems poised to move forward on a project that is more than two decades in the making, spanning multiple City Council administrations and mayors.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

Monday night, the Northport City Council unanimously approved accepting a grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation, which will be used for the right-of-way purchase of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. This would open the door for much-needed improvements to the busy corridor, primarily from Bridge Avenue to Snows Mill Avenue.

According to City Attorney Ron Davis, the total cost for the MLK Boulevard right-of-way acquisition is $5,353,000, with 80% — $4,282,400 — coming from ALDOT.

Northport would then cover the difference of $1.07 million.

The project has been a contentious one for nearly 30 years and fell short of getting on the tracks in 2017. The official record for the discussions shows varying price tags, ranging from nearly $10 million to the current $5 million. It's also been an initiative that has consistently been met with pushback due the potential for costly legal hurdles.

For instance, former Mayor Wayne Rose also owned Rose Lumber Co. when the measure was first proposed more than 20 years ago. The stalwart business is located on MLK Boulevard, making it one of the myriad hang-ups in the past when it came to the optics of the longstanding project and its perceived conflicts of interest.

District 2 Councilman Woodrow Washington III, who also owns a popular BBQ business on MLK, told Patch on Wednesday that by purchasing the right-of-way, the city can move forward on approaching property owners to acquire specific parcels of land needed for adding sidewalks and moving forward on other improvements.

Washington made the initial motion to bring the measure to a vote Monday night, which was met with unanimous approval from his colleagues.

He went on to say the project aims to add sidewalks to both sides of the street, along with LED street lighting, landscaping and a complete replacement of the bridge that spans Two Mile Creek, near Hunter Creek Road.

"It's 100% about quality of life and being able to walk from one end to the other," Washington said. "We grew up walking worried about getting hit on the road, so people being able to walk and exercise, and it being a nice atmosphere so kids can walk on the street, is important. It’s going to change the look of the whole city."

Former Council President Jay Logan, who was cited by Washington as being instrumental in the work to bring the initiative over the goal line during his time representing District 2, expressed pride when he told Patch on Wednesday that he invested more than a decade of sweat equity into the project.

"I am very glad to finally see this MLK project come to fruition," he said. "A lot of people had their fingerprints on it and it's going to happen. Congresswoman Terri Sewell also should be thanked, too. It was a labor of love for me."

Washington also credited former Council members Robert Thomas and Lorenzo Freeman as being stewards for the project.

Indeed, if it comes to fruition, the MLK project would be in line with other large-scale beautification and improvements efforts across the city, which range from new city signage and a facelift for City Hall, to the most ambitious series of street paving projects in Northport history that is currently underway.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com