Fairview Ave. repaving done; work on Zelda Rd. starts next week

Editors note: The original version of the story misstated the timeline bids for the project. They are complete and construction is slated to begin soon.

Drivers may have noticed a smoother ride along Fairview Avenue after crews finished laying new pavement this week.

That same repaving will happen on Zelda Road starting Monday, where city workers will patch over the bumpy — and busy — thoroughfare. The two projects aren't meant to be permanent fixes, however, but a "band-aid" until larger streetscape renovations are completed in the coming years.

Chris Conway, public works director, said the repaving will help placate critical road needs ahead of larger projects planned in the next three to four years.

More:City hopes $12 million in paving needs can be managed with high-tech solution

Along with Fairview and Zelda, Alabama Department of Transportation projects on Wares Ferry Road, Federal Drive and Hunter Loop Road will bring major fixes.

Once Fairview Avenue is redone, drivers will see the road transform into three lanes to accommodate sidewalks, Conway said. That change, may help businesses take the plunge in the community.

"A roadway like that might be more conducive to different types of development," Conway said.

Zelda is already lined with businesses while dealing with congestion issues. To combat that, he said they will put in a fifth lane that will allow for left turns in both directions. 

The aforementioned projects are moving forward simultaneously, Conway said, but there are several roadblocks, such as right-of-way purchases that are legally required before they can move forward.

In April, the city committed to funding Court Street renovations, which have been in waiting for nearly a decade. Bids have now come in for the project, with costs estimated at about $10.6 million. Officials hope construction will begin in July.

More:City officials: Decade-long wait for Court Street redevelopment to begin in June