The long-awaited resurfacing of U.S. Highway 31 within the city limits of Brewton is scheduled to begin in June with the Alabama Department of Transportation saying the majority of the work will be done at night during low traffic.
State Rep. Alan Baker and State Sen. Greg Albritton notified the city Friday that the state had awarded a $1.5 million contract to H.O. Weaver & Sons of Mobile to do the project.
Sen. Albritton said it's been a project he has been working on for months and was happy that it finally got approved.
“I've been working with DOT since August to get this project done,” Sen. Albritton said. “There was first some reluctance, but now we've got it.”
Rep. Baker echoed Sen. Albritton's sentiments saying it was a project long overdue.
“It's been a challenge,” Rep. Baker said. “We've had multiple meetings with Sen. Albritton, Mayor Lovelace and DOT trying to get this project done sooner than later.”
Ray Madden, utilities superintendent for the city of Brewton, said the resurfacing will begin around Taco Bell near Tiger Drive and go south to the Burnt Corn Creek Bridge.
“The project should take about two weeks to complete,” Madden said. “DOT has said they will try to do the majority of the work at night when traffic is low.”
Madden also said the city will announce the exact date the project will begin and give motorists alternative routes.
In March the city of Brewton closed portions of the highway to make sewer repairs in anticipation of the road being resurfaced.
Madden said the city has received a grant to repair the old sewer lines and that most of the work will be done by installing liners in existing lines. However, he said there were several spots that the road needed to be dug out to fix the sewer problems.
“We wanted to get that work done before they repaved the road,” Madden said.
Brewton Mayor Yank Lovelace called the announcement great news for the city of Brewton.
“I am absolutely ecstatic to see this begin,” Lovelace said. “We have to thank our legislative delegation for helping us push hard for this maintenance on what we all know is a desperately bad stretch of roadway. This is wonderful news for all of us.”
The contract also calls for curbing, gutter installation and traffic striping.
