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St. Clair County withholds permit for Alabama Power pole work on Sandy Road
Summary
County Engineer Dan Dawkey told commissioners Alabama Power's Sandy Road plan would require repeated six-hour closures for about 21 poles and risk damage to a recently resurfaced road. The commission voted to withhold issuing a permit until alternative plans that keep a lane open are produced.
The St. Clair County Commission voted to withhold a permit for Alabama Power's plan to install large concrete power poles along Sandy Road after county staff and commissioners raised safety and access concerns.
County Engineer Dan Dawkey told the commission the company's current plan would require repeated six-hour closures and affect roughly two dozen poles. "So that's situation where basically six hours at a time they're going to have to close down this road. And there's at least 21 poles that they would have to close the road down in the current plans that they have," Dawkey said, describing both right-of-way and traffic impacts.
The commission's action followed Dawkey's account that Alabama Power had not submitted a formal permit request before announcing phased closures and that the county's engineers were concerned about pavement damage and emergency access. Dawkey said crews prefer solutions that leave at least one lane open; commissioners discussed widening the shoulder or building pads so heavy outriggers and cranes would not set directly on newly surfaced pavement.
The Chair then moved "that we don't issue a permit" until an alternate plan is agreed and some poles are relocated off critical sections. The motion was seconded and carried. The tally was recorded by voice vote in the meeting ("All in favor say I; all oppose, no"); a roll-call tally was not read into the minutes.
County staff and commissioners said next steps will include working with Alabama Power to identify options that (1) preserve at least one 11-foot travel lane for traffic and school buses, (2) reduce the number of full-road closures, and (3) minimize damage to an approximately four-year-old plant-mix surface. Commissioners also said they expect Alabama Power to accept responsibility for any pavement damage caused by heavy equipment.
The commission directed staff to continue discussions with Alabama Power, develop alternatives (including shoulder pads and coordinated crew sequencing), and return with recommendations at a future meeting.
