Four-lane project: boon or death-knell for Demopolis?

Calling the planned four-lane highway connecting Mobile to Tuscaloosa a “nightmare” for Demopolis, Mayor Woody Collins Monday said he is “looking for thoughts, prayers, opinions” on how to confront the challenge.

The expansion, he said, has been called the four-laning of U.S. Hwy. 43. He insists it’s not.

“This is a Hwy. 69 four-lane, not 43.”

Only 28 miles of Hwy. 43 will be widened – the section between Thomasville and Linden. The route from there to Moundville along Alabama Hwy. 69 is 55 miles.

In the process, north-south traffic will by-pass Demopolis entirely.

When motorists from Mobile reach Thomasville, “they can hit cruise control to Tuscaloosa. We will never see these people again,” said Collins.

“Demopolis is the economic engine that drives this area,” said the mayor, but when he points that out to state planners, “They never know what to say.”

The four-lane highway has been touted by Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Transportation as a benefit for West Alabama.

“I am probably one of the strongest supporters of Gov. Ivey and ALDOT,” said Collins. “We are very good friends with differences of opinions.”

In all the meetings with ALDOT, Collins said he has never gotten an answer as to where the new highway will cross U.S. Hwy. 80 to continue north. Without that information, the city cannot try to make any plans.

“They will not show me exactly where it will cross Highway 80. If I knew that I’d start looking at it today.” However, he added, “There is no way we’re going to be able to pursue people seven miles away.”

Collins is looking for ideas and support from the businesses, industries and residents of the Demopolis area.

“I don’t know what can be done, but I know we have to get the word out. We simply need to educate, to make people aware” of the challenges facing the city.

The mayor said he would look at annexing areas east of the city to extend water and sewer to accommodate new tenants.

At the public hearing on the Linden bypass held Nov. 15, Matt Erickson, ALDOT regional engineer, said “Woody was very adamant about going through Demopolis.”

The Demopolis route, Erickson explained, would have cost far more than the eastern route because of environmental concerns and having to cross wetlands and the Black Warrior River.

“I’ve been down (to the ALDOT regional headquarters in Mobile) three times,” Collins said, telling them each time, “bring it closer, bring it closer.”

The first time he went down, he was told, “Mayor, this has got to do with cost effectiveness and  environmental impact.”

“Once again money has gotten in the way of benefiting West Alabama,” Collins said. “Demopolis is taking it on the chin.”

Four-lane, bypass or Interstate, it is not about economic impact, he continued. “It’s about getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible and as efficiently as possible.”

He speculated the point of the proposed route is to make it easier for University of Alabama fans to get from Mobile to Tuscaloosa.

“It’s up to us to get those people off that road and get them to this town. That is our charge.”

“I’ve got 10 more years before I have to determine where it is out there,” he said. “I can’t fail at this unless I try.”

There are a few local voices in favor of the proposed route. At the Nov. 12 groundbreaking for the bypass around Linden, Rep. A.J. McCampbell said the four-lane project is “the best thing that could happen to West Alabama. This is the moment in time that all of us have been looking forward to.”

When McCampbell was asked about the economic impact of the route being so far away from Demopolis, he said, it is “going to be up to Demopolis” how it decides to face the change. “There is nothing that says the Demopolis city limits has to end at the Demopolis city limits.”

Sen. Bobby Singleton added, “The corridor is open for business.”

But others are skeptical about the benefits, especially to Demopolis.

“You’re going to kill Linden and Demopolis,” said local businessman Jim Parr. “This was a cost-saving for the state, not an economic boon for West Alabama.”

Marengo County Commissioner Freddie Armstead said, “I am a little bit upset, but it’s progress, and we won’t stand in the way.”