TCSS Presents Northport School Access Road Plans To Commission

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Efforts are moving forward on an expanded access road off of Rose Boulevard leading to the new Northport Intermediate School and officials involved with the project gave updates to the Tuscaloosa County Commission Wednesday morning.

The design calls for the widening of the current access road, which leads to Northport Elementary and Tuscaloosa County High School, from three lanes to five lanes. One lane will be dedicated solely for bus traffic, while the other four will be one-way and feature painted directions to guide traffic. Plans also call for lengthening the right turn lane off of Rose Boulevard down to Northport Fire Rescue Station 4.

District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker, who represents northern Tuscaloosa County and the area where the project will be, approved of the plans and said they came after the public was provided numerous options. This included a failed proposal for an access road coming from U.S. Highway 43 North.

"This is still significantly less in cost, because the other proposal was building a whole new road," Acker said. "I really like the idea of having the buses separate … that should work really well for the elementary school, as well as the new middle school there."

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The final plans were initially approved by the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education in March and TTL Vice President Frank Summers said on Wednesday that it will now go simultaneously to the Alabama Department of Construction Management (DCM) and the City of Northport, which has its own land development permit process.

"Essentially what you’re doing is taking a three and four lane road and widening it to five," Summers said, after pointing out that the project would need to be complete before the start of the fall semester in August. "Again time is going to be an issue so we’re trying to limit the amount of materials they have to order so they can expedite it."

As officials look for financial help from different governmental bodies for the project, Summers said the price would come in between $1.7 million and $2.1 million, with a 20% contingency built in to the higher end due to contractor costs during the specific time of year.

Once approved by DCM, bidding can go out for the project, regardless of its status in the permitting process with Northport.

The Commission agreed to go over the plans and consider how it could offer financial assistance, while it was also mentioned that conversations could be had with Northport officials about the city's role, as well.

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