Courtesy of the City of Homewood
The Hollywood neighborhood is the first location in Homewood to be impacted by the Jefferson County sewer project.
The city of Homewood announced on social media Tuesday that Homewood residents will see traffic interrupted by a Jefferson County sewer project.
The announcement read: “We have known for a few years that Homewood would be impacted by the sewer project that is wrapping up in Mt. Brook, and now it is here. Jefferson County has informed us that the sewer project begins in the Hollywood neighborhood tomorrow, July 10. See the map for impacted streets.
The good news is these streets will get re-paved. That has been delayed as we knew the County would eventually be tearing the streets up. This project will eventually touch many neighborhoods, we will keep you informed as we get the details.”
In February of 2024, Matt Alpaugh, Chief Civil Engineer for Jefferson County and the project manager overseeing the sewer contract, answered the Who, What and Why of the Sewer Project.
What is being done?
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?
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 modeling and data tracking to determine areas that need to be repaired. This is a proactive form of asset management.
Who is paying for this and what does it cost?
The County is paying through sewer revenue and the cost is approximately $13.8 million.
Is there anything else?
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.
