Deteriorations to the base of St. Joseph Drive NW in Cullman are expected to cause slight delays for residents in the area as crews work to repair one of the city’s most used throughways.

On Monday, Dec. 11, the Cullman City Council awarded an emergency bid to Chilton Contractors, Inc. to perform a full depth reclamation on St. Joseph Drive NW.

Workers had already begun Tuesday morning in order to repair what councilmember Johnny Cook described as “severe” deteriorations to the roadway’s base. Starting at its intersection with Brunner Street, both lanes of Saint Joseph will be closed in 2,000 foot sections as crew’s work their way toward AL 157.

Cook said the work will consist of removing roughly eight inches of the existing base underneath the road’s surface and replacing it with a powdered concrete/asphalt mixture. He said workers are likely to clear the shoulders on either side of the road in order to avoid water damage to the new base. Cook said because of the dry materials used, residents living directly on St. Joseph will still be able to enter and exit their homes, although they can expect up to a five minute delay when work is being performed directly in front of their homes.

The work is expected to continue for ten days — excluding the weekend — and should be completed by Friday, Dec. 22.

While St. Joseph might be experiencing delays, Sandra Howlett, a resident who lives on Sharpton Road, said she felt as though another heavily trafficked city roadway might be a little too open.

“When is enough, enough?” Howlett asked the council as she detailed the dangerous driving habits she has witnessed on both Sharpton Road and the adjacent Convent Road during the five years she has lived in the neighborhood. According to Howlett her mailbox has been damaged or destroyed “no less than 20 times.” She said she began reporting the damages to Cullman Police Department after the sixth time and has petitioned the United States Postal Service to move the mailbox to the same side of the street as her house. Howlett said neither attempt has yielded results.

Howlett said her trashcan has also been destroyed by a sanitation worker attempting to evade another vehicle illegally passing the sanitation truck.

Howlett also said she has witnessed vehicles racing on Sharpton Road with at least one driver become air-born in front of her house because of how fast they were driving.

She said she has contacted CPD multiple times and has voiced her concerns to councilmember Brad Smith — who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee — as well as Smith’s predecessor, the late Andy Page. Howlett said she has gone as far as to contact the city’s sanitation department in hopes of finding a solution.

“I know that it is a difficult road to police but somebody’s going to get hurt out there,” she said.

Council president Jenny Folsom asked for Howlett’s concerns be passed along to both Mayor Woody Jacobs and CPD Chief Dave Nassetta — neither of whom were present at the meeting — and suggested locating one of CPD’s portable speed trailers along the roadway to deter speeders.

In other business the council:

• Held a public hearing to rezone property owned by Copper Horse Properties, LLC located at Logan Street and Veigl Avenue SW from R-3 to R-4 Residential District.

• Held the first reading to vacate a storm sewer easement located at 1502 Warnke Road NW.

• Held the first reading to update the building permit fee schedule for the Building Department

• Approved the 2024 City Council meeting schedule.

• Accepted Evans Lane, Austin Drive, Brandon Drive, Misty Drive, Dustin Drive NE, McAfee Road, Dawson Lane NE and Ashland Drive SW as part of the public street system. All roadways are located with the North Ridge subdivision with the exception of Ashland Drive SW, which is located off Gold Course Road.

• Awarded the bid for the Woodland Street water tank rehabilitation to G & L Tank Sandblasting.

• Authorized Mayor Jacobs to enter an agreement with Civic Plus for social media archiving services through Archive Social.

• Revised the Cullman Fire Rescue FLSA Work Cycle Policy to reflect the 26-day cycle.

• Annexed a vacant lot located on County Road 1188 and two parcels located on County Road 468 as AG-1 Agriculture District.