ALDOT plans bridge replacement over Blue Gurth Swamp on AL-14

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is planning to replace the bridges over Blue Gurth Swamp on AL-14 near Selma, a project that will close the road and detour traffic during construction. 

The detour would utilize AL-41 (U.S. 80) and AL-140 around the area where the bridge is located. A public information meeting was held on Aug. 23 at the Burnsville Fire Department building to hear comments.  

An online post from a resident has raised concerns about the wait time, which would be an estimated 18 months, they said. The post said that the detour is too long for residents to take as construction progresses. 

"This is a very long detour for many people and we had hoped the Dallas county bridges would have been treated like the Autauga County bridges at Ivy Creek and Mulberry Creek where the new bridges would be active before retiring the current bridges," it said. 

"This is almost an (eight) mile detour in some places depending on your travel and this will also hender (sic) emergency response times as well."

The post also said that the information meeting was not widely advertised and claimed that it was attended by few people. 

Although the meeting is past comments can still be submitted at this link where project maps and contact information can be seen.