Map courtesy of the City of Mountain Brook.
Anyone driving through Mountain Brook Village in the last few days has most likely had to maneuver around some of the blocked roads caused by continuing sewer work going on throughout the City. This update will be the first of several tracking this sometimes annoying but important improvement project.
Traffic update
From the City Manager’s Office: “Jefferson County is replacing aged sanitary sewers in Mountain Brook Village to abate sanitary sewer overflows. Work continued Monday, January 29, 2024 with a section of Cahaba Road at Culver Road closing for sewer work for approximately 4 weeks. Parking and sidewalks will be open on Cahaba Road and a section of Culver Road. (See map.) Be cautious and PLAN AHEAD!”
MBPD Community Relations Officer Megan Thomas: “The project has partially closed Cahaba Road at Culver Road/280 ramp. Drivers coming off of 280 can turn left onto either Lane Park Road (toward the Botanical Gardens) or Cahaba Road (toward the Zoo). A section of Culver Road is still under construction as well. This closure is anticipated to take four weeks, barring any unforeseen circumstances.”
Next
“The project will continue on the shoulder of the exit ramp, and one lane of traffic will likely be closed through that part. Once Cahaba Road re-opens, the Crestline part of the project will then close Euclid Avenue and the Memory Triangle.”
“Parking is available on Cahaba Road in front of our businesses and all businesses are open during this construction.”
Megan Thomas Community Relations Officer MBPD
Updates are posted on MBPD’s Facebook Page as well as in the Mountain Brook Police app.
Answering the Who, What, When, and Why of the Sewer Project in Mountain Brook
Matt Alpaugh P.E. Chief Civil Engineer is the Jefferson County Project manager overseeing the sewer contract.
What is being done?
Alpaugh: The County is upsizing and repairing pipes using open cut, pipe bursting, tunneling, manhole installation, and manhole rehabilitation technologies. The project impacts Mountain Brook, Birmingham, and Homewood.
Who oversees this and why is this being done?
Alpaugh: Jefferson County has been planning this work for several years. The Sewer Project is overseen by the Jefferson County Environmental Services Department. The County has a significant capital improvement plan every year; this project is part of that. The County uses dynamic hydraulic modelling and data tracking to determine areas that need to be repaired. This is a proactive form of asset management.
When will it be completed?
Alpaugh: Actual construction began in May of 2023 and is projected to finish by May 2024. The Traffic impact on Mountain Brook Village will end when the Cahaba Road crossing has been completed [in process now with an estimated 4 week completion date which should be late February]. The traffic issues in Crestline will continue through the project's duration. We have laid pipes to the intersection of Dan Watkins and Euclid and need to traverse through the Memory Lane intersection. This will be the biggest traffic impact in the area. Once through the intersection we will go west down Country Club up Cross Ridge and north up Memory Lane to Montclair.
Who is paying for this and what does it cost?
Alpaugh: The County is paying through sewer revenue and the cost is approximately $13.8 million.
Is there anything else?
Alpaugh: We have had a few complaints about idle time. Sewer construction work requires excavation, hauling materials and multiple pieces of equipment. The equipment on site is ready to go as soon as the materials are in place which helps reduce time. Rest assured we have put much thought and planning into this process
