"font-size: small;">BAY

MINETTE, Ala.  — It won’t

be long before Hand Avenue in Bay Minette looks a little

different.

"font-size: small;">According

to Lee Reach of Alabama Department of Transportation, plans are

under way to reduce the five-lane road to three, flanked by a

class-A bicycle lane on either side of the

street.

"font-size: small;">“The

contractor’s going to move in within the next week or two,” the

division maintenance engineer said in a phone

interview.

"font-size: small;">Once

started, the process will be swift.

"font-size: small;">“It won’t

take them very long,” Reach said. “It shouldn’t take more than a

couple of weeks.”

"font-size: small;">During an

informational meeting that was intended to focus on the city’s

proposed truck route, Reach announced that unless significant

information was introduced, the state’s plan for the project would

proceed. At that same meeting, Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery

supported that decision, citing the state’s jurisdiction over the

highway.

"font-size: small;">“It is

their road,” she told the audience, adding that the city council

would not address the matter at its upcoming meeting next week. “I

will not ask the (city) council to address that.”

"font-size: small;">But during

Monday’s meeting, several Bay Minette residents wanted to know why

the state wants to change the lane structure of Hand

Avenue.

"font-size: small;">“It’s

safer,” Reach said, explaining that the new format would reduce

vehicle collisions by 70 percent.

"font-size: small;">He also

pointed out that taking on the project now would be cheaper. As

previously reported, the state is planning to resurface the road

anyway. Changing the lane structure in the process would add $5,500

to the bill. However, revisiting the idea at a later time would

cost $300,000 in administrative, material and labor

fees.

"font-size: small;">Another

question raised was whether three lanes would suffice for the

amount of traffic that travels down Hand, a main thoroughfare in

Bay Minette.

"font-size: small;">“Three

lanes will hold 24,500 vehicles a day,” Reach said. “You have 5,500

traveling on it a day.”

"font-size: small;">An

additional resident asked whether adding bicycle lanes would

increase risks for children. Reach explained that the lane’s

designation meant it was intended for adult biking enthusiasts.

When asked about liability if a child got hit trying to cross the

three-lane, he said supervising children should be left up to the

parents.

"font-size: small;">“I live

over in that area,” one resident said. “I’ve neve.r seen more than

have a dozen kids on bikes. I don’t think it’s an

issue.”

"font-size: small;">Another

resident pointed out that when it rains, a portion of Hand Avenue

floods, leaving drivers required to move into the other lane. They

then asked how three lanes would affect that

scenario.

"font-size: small;">“We’ll be

cleaning out those storm drains along there,” Reach said, “and

we’ll be setting up leveling on the road when we repave it. So

you’re not going to be driving in that water any

more.”

"font-size: small;">Several

residents asked additional questions about traffic, citing such

scenarios as getting behind garbage trucks or people failing to

stop. But Reach responded to each by citing the state’s research,

which found three lanes, one lane in each direction surrounding a

central turn lane, to be the safest format.

"font-size: small;">Despite

Reach’s comments, responses from the audience were

mixed.

"font-size: small;">“I would

like to see the city take a vote on this,” one person said, saying

Bay Minette residents were opposed to the

project.

"font-size: small;">“You’re not

speaking for all of the residents,” another audience member

countered. “I’m for it, and I live over there.”

"font-size: small;">Following

the discussion, residents were invited to ask Reach and Hutchinson,

Moore and Rauch Project Engineer Robbie Strom about the Hand Avenue

project and proposed truck route.