US 98 Community Outreach Group (COG) Meeting

• Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) notified Community Outreach Group that Mobile Bay Keeper had filed petition to intervene in the lawsuit MAWSS has filed against ALDOT. The Court has not ruled if it will allow the intervention.
• ALDOT discussed unpermitted access and vandalism near the Glenwood Farms subdivision. Vehicles have been accessing the construction area and causing damage. Concrete barricades have been installed temporarily to stop access, and the construction will permanently remove access, when the contractor completes work in that area.
• Hosea O Weaver has begun preparation work to begin paving the west end of the project to Tanner Road. Work was delayed following the last meeting due to all of the rain from recent tropical storms/hurricanes. While Hosea O Weaver is working on site, there will be two contractors working on the project, thus there may be two disturbed areas that are 17 acres.
• ALDOT is responding to comments from the Corps of Engineers for modification to the permit for slope repair work in wetlands on the US 98 project.
• Materials are being delivered for construction of a tie back system to stabilize slopes at Outfall 17 this week.
• ALDOT announced plans for a community meeting in fall 2008. Date to be announced.
• COG members were provided information on ALDOT procedures for erosion and sediment control and a copy of ALDOT’s “Summary of General Requirements for Erosion and Sediment Control on ALDOT Construction Projects”.
• COG members were given an overview of specific actions taken by ALDOT to minimize weather-related effects on the US98 project. Pre-storm actions to minimize effects of the recent Hurricane Faye and Hurricane Gustav, were discussed, followed by immediate actions by ALDOT to stabilize areas damaged by the storms.