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Commissioners press Alabama Power for alternatives after plan would close Sandy Road for days
Summary
St. Clair County engineers and commissioners raised safety and traffic concerns about Alabama Power’s Sandy Road pole project — which would require repeated six-hour full road closures — and approved moving a Kelly Creek Road widening agreement to the upcoming regular meeting with a 10% local match estimated at $83,539.68.
County engineer Dan briefed the commission on a set of road and utility projects, including a $835,396.80 safety agreement to widen Kelly Creek Road two feet on each side; he said the county's 10% share will be about $83,539.68 and commissioners indicated support to move the agreement to the Tuesday agenda.
Dan then described Alabama Power’s Sandy Road project, saying the company plans many pole settings that, as proposed, would “shut the whole road down” for up to "6 hours at a time" on multiple days and that a very large crane and outriggers would block the right-of-way. Commissioners repeatedly raised emergency-response and detour concerns and asked staff to press Alabama Power for alternatives — additional easements, weekend work, service pads, or other methods to keep at least one lane open.
Commissioners assigned engineering staff to coordinate with Alabama Power’s designers to develop bypass plans and to insist on a detour and emergency-services plan before any long-duration road closures. The commission also asked that any agreements or required local easements and cost shares be returned to the commission at a future meeting for formal approval.
