2015 year in preview: Traffic alleviation moving forward on Oxmoor

Plans are moving forward to improve Oxmoor Road traffic from the Oxmoor Boulevard/Green Springs Highway intersection to Barber Court. Construction could begin as early as March, but a definite timeline has not yet been set. 

The city received public feedback to finalize its plans after Mayor Scott McBrayer executed right-of-way acquisition and construction and utility agreements with the State of Alabama for the project. In this year’s city budget, $450,000 was designated for the plans.

The project will add new east and westbound lanes on Oxmoor Boulevard, remove the Alabama Power transmission tower on that street and make changes to the I-65 ramps. It will also add left turn lanes at Scott Street, two places on Vulcan Road, both sides of the Columbiana Road/Palisades Boulevard intersection and on Oxmoor Boulevard at the Green Springs/Oxmoor Road/Palisades intersection. 

City Senior Planner Vanessa McGrath said the improvements will simplify driving on Oxmoor Boulevard by reducing the number of lane shifts required to travel the street.

Additionally, the city will remove two traffic signals on the east end of Oxmoor Road and at Cobb Street while also eliminating left turns from Cobb Street to Oxmoor Boulevard. The project will also add sidewalks to West Oxmoor Road. 

City Council Member Fred Hawkins said the project is estimated to cost around $6 million, of which Homewood will pay 20 percent and ALDOT will pay 80 percent.