After a six-month delay, work has begun on widening Highway 9 by Centre Elementary School. Armory Road was officially closed to thru traffic last Thursday, July 19.

Earlier this year, notices were sent out to parents of students of CES advising them that the road would be closed. However, weather condititions and other delays prevented the project from proceeding further.

“We are going to four-lane the highway with a center turn lane to try to help out some of the school rush traffic,” said David Watkins, district permit engineer with Alabama Department of Transportation. Said Watkins after the first day of work, “It seems to be going fine so far.”

The project will include adding a lane and a half on each side of the two-lane road.

“There will be five lanes,” said Watkins. “There will be four lanes and a center turning lane. I think it will really help ease the traffic. It will help the school buses quite a bit.”

The contract, Watkins said, calls for some 150 working days, but progress will still be determined by the weather, he said. McCartney Construction Company of Gadsden was awarded that contract.

“We’d like to apologize for the inconvenience,” said Watkins. “But I think the people will be satisfied once the project is complete and after the traffic has been alleviated some.”

In other local roadwork, the Alabama DOT has let a contract for the five-laning of Highway 9 in Cedar Bluff near the Cedar Bluff Piggly Wiggly Store. This project involves adding a turn lane