Are Montgomery’s Road Projects on Schedule?
Two major road projects have been going on in Montgomery for years. The first phase of the outer loop near the Waugh exit and construction of Perry Hill Road and i-85. Both projects were supposed to be finished by the end of the year but are workers still on schedule?
Both of these projects are supposed to alleviate traffic and make driving more convenient. But the ongoing construction has done anything but that.
Montgomery’s outer loop project began in 2011, after years of planning. The first phase includes creating an extension from interstate 85 to Vaughn Road. Construction has closed lanes of traffic on i-85 at time, making the commute to and from work difficult for some.
“I try to take a detour route coming back, which makes me go through maybe Tuskegee to avoid traffic,” says Margaret Relf. “And that’s rough and gas consuming too.”
Workers are almost always out there. Wednesday afternoon, we caught them working on the appearance of the outer loop, by painting the parts of the bridge green. A rep for the Alabama Department of Transportation says the bridge work is nearing completion. Next, they’ll start working on paving. The outer loop is expected to be open for traffic early next year. A little later than expected.
“I expect it go at a snail’s pace,” says Benny Smith.
Smith lives near the Waugh exit and says while he’s anxious for the project to be finished, he’s not sure if he would actually use it.
“I don’t know why anybody would want to get on and just go to Vaughn Road when you can go a few miles down the road and get on Vaughn.”
Construction on Perry Hill Road and I-85 is creating confusion for some drivers, especially at night.
“It’s a lot to maneuver around sometimes, trying to get to and from work,” says Millbrook resident Austin Teeter.
This project, which will widen the bridge, add lanes, and new traffic signals, is on schedule and has a November 21st completion date. The Alabama Department of Transportation will announce a date in the near future for when the new traffic ramps will open.
City leaders believe the new outer loop will also benefit truck drivers going between Kia Motors in Georgia and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Montgomery by freeing up some of the interstate.
