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Opelika council approves right-of-way agreements for Bridgewater Boulevard and High Pack/High Pike extensions
Summary
The Opelika City Council approved three right-of-way acquisition agreements Aug. 19 to allow construction of Bridgewater Boulevard and extensions tying High Pack/High Pike Drive to Cunningham Drive and Columbus Parkway; developers will donate right-of-way and coordinate signal work with ALDOT.
The Opelika City Council on Aug. 19 approved three right-of-way acquisition agreements to build Bridgewater Boulevard and to extend High Pack/High Pike Drive, moves city staff said will improve local connectivity and access to Columbus Parkway.
City staff described the projects as developer-driven right-of-way donations with the city participating in road construction and in arranging a traffic signal that the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has agreed in principle to install at the Bridgewater–Columbus Parkway connection. "These road projects have been on our transportation plan for a while, for the needs of connectivity and safety and access of, Columbus Parkway," a city staff member identified in the meeting transcript as Scott said during the presentation.
The projects: Bridgewater Boulevard is tied to a residential development that has cleared the Planning Commission and will connect the subdivision to Columbus Parkway near Logan Drive, across from Granbury Drive. Scott said ALDOT favors the chosen signal location because it is approximately halfway between the existing signals and provides a preferred spacing for the agency; he described the distance as roughly 1,200 to 1,500 feet. Scott said the developer will donate right-of-way and participate in the timing and organization of the traffic signal at that location.
Two right-of-way agreements tied to extensions of High Pack (also transcribed as High Pike) Drive were presented for Brookwood and Brookhaven residential developments; those extensions are intended to connect High Pack Drive to Cunningham Drive and to the Thomason Drive Extension and Gateway Drive signal corridor. The agreements listed on the council agenda name FTC Investments LLC as a property owner providing right-of-way for the High Pack/High Pike extensions; Sanford Group Land LLC is listed for the Bridgewater Boulevard acquisition.
Council action and next steps: The council approved Resolution No. 8 (Sanford Group Land LLC — Bridgewater Boulevard) and Resolutions No. 9 and 10 (FTC Investments LLC — High Pack/High Pike Drive extensions). Roll calls recorded on the transcript show unanimous approval on those items (all council members voting "aye"). Council members and staff said they would verify and correct a misspelling in the seller/LLC name that appeared on the documents before signatures.
Why it matters: City staff said the connector and signal are expected to improve turn movements on Columbus Parkway and to open new safe access and retail potential near the corridor. The High Pack/High Pike extensions are planned to link neighborhood streets into a broader network that includes recently bid or under-construction segments such as the Thomason Drive Extension.
What the council record shows: Resolutions approving the right-of-way agreements were moved, seconded and approved by roll call during the Aug. 19 meeting; no recorded votes against or abstentions were recorded for those specific items.
