Work To Install Left-Turn Lane At Wood Estates Set To Begin Monday

NORTHPORT, AL — Tuscaloosa County and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) are set to begin work installing a new northbound left-turn lane on U.S. Highway 43 for the Wood Estates subdivision beginning on Monday.

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Digital signage has already been placed along Highway 43 informing motorists of the road work, which is expected to cause delays and last until Friday, Aug. 4.

The latest project along Highway 43 comes after extensive work was done to widen the busy highway at its intersection with Rose Boulevard — an effort the county hopes to build out in increments heading north.

"It’s amazing how much those help with reducing accidents as well as just making the drive smoother and not backing up," District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker told Patch.

Acker represents the northern end of Tuscaloosa County and told Patch the new turn lane at Wood Estates is just the latest project to improve safety and traffic flow for Highway 43.

This goes back to one of his first major accomplishments on the Commission, when he successfully lobbied for a red light to be installed at the busy highway's intersection at Tierce Patton Road.

"Subsequently, we worked with ALDOT and they’ve been very good I want to give them a lot of credit on getting turn lanes in at Bone Camp Road and Paul Howell Road," Acker told Patch. "I hope as those proceed north to get more turn turn lanes at places like Old Fayette Road and then ultimately we’re working with ALDOT on projects to get the road to four lanes."

Speaking to the incremental nature of such a longterm project, Acker said the next logical phase is to a get a four-lane up to Paul Howell Road — an effort that's currently in the works and could come to fruition in the next few years.

"Right now, only one lane goes north," Acker explained. "We’re going to try to get a road back around where Dominoes Pizza is [at the Rose Boulevard intersection], if you want to turn on Mitt Lary Road [from Highway 43].

"Improvements to that intersection are also forthcoming soon and that’s in conjunction with the City of Northport, so it’s a real positive working relationship," he added. "I appreciate the City of Northport and their administration and engineering. We’ve got a lot of good things coming up there."

Ultimately, Acker said the continuous work to improve the Highway 43 corridor underscores the rapid growth in the northern part of the county and the need for its infrastructure to keep pace.

"We continue to see growth and new subdivisions north on Highway 43," he said. "We’re trying to address as much as we can. It’s a never ending cycle of growth and progress, but we’re doing our best to keep up with it and put in those kind of things to make it better."

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