The city of Huntsville’s $65 million Pinhook Creek mitigation project that includes the pedestrian suspension bridge known as Skybridge is getting ready for construction. Urban and Economic Development Director Shane Davis tells the Huntsville Times they are in the permitting stage. The first phase starts with the flood mitigation of the channel which should start next year. The restoration will run from Holmes Avenue to the Lowe Mill area. The second phase should begin during the summer. It will include the aerial bridges, which includes “Skybridge,” the pedestrian suspension bridge across Memorial Parkway. Davis says the city’s goal for finishing the project is late 2026.
Huntsville’s Mill Creek Choice Neighborhood Initiative will enter the design phase early next year. Urban and Economic Development Director Shane Davis tells the Huntsville Times construction of the first two buildings will start later in the year. The area on Seminole Drive off Governors Drive has been the site for Housing Authority housing at Johnson Towers and Butler Terrace. It will eventually be transformed into a mixed-income community with workforce housing, medical and childcare services and retail options.
The Huntsville Planning Commission approved Huntsville Hospital’s $150 million expansion plans at its meeting this week. The expansion plans include additional beds, more private rooms for patients and two new intensive care units. AL.com reports the project includes five floors of vertical expansion on top of a four-story existing parking deck at Madison Street and St. Clair Avenue. Hospital representative Sammy Rambo told the commission the main goal of the Madison Street Tower expansion was to accommodate the city’s growth and to lower emergency room wait times.
Legislation introduced by Congressman Dale Strong may help Huntsville International Airport in its effort to be a landing spot for commercial space vehicles. AL.com reports the Madison County Republican introduced The SPACEPORT Act to meet the growing demands of the commercial space industry. The legislation would provide eligible spaceports – such as Huntsville International Airport – dedicated federal funding for infrastructure projects. In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration approved Huntsville International as a landing site for the Dream Chaser commercial space vehicle. It made the airport the first commercial airport in the U.S. to receive spaceport designation status.
Alabama families can apply to get up to $7,000 toward private school tuition from the state starting Jan. 2. In May, the legislature passed a law, known as the CHOOSE Act, to create a new school choice program. It will eventually allow all K-12 students in the state to apply for support if they want to go to a private school. Certain families can apply for state-funded education savings accounts, or ESAs, which are available starting in the 2025-26 school year. AL.com reports the first ESAs will be limited to specific groups of students. All students in the state will be eligible for ESAs at the start of the 2027-28 school year. To apply for an ESA, visit www.chooseact.alabama.gov.
‘Tis the season for “porch pirates.” Ahead of the next legislative session, an Alabama state senator will sponsor a bill to crack down on theft of items delivered to homes. The bill’s sponsor Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield says that despite safeguards like video doorbells and home security systems, theft of delivered items is a growing problem. Her bill proposes increasing penalties for those thefts. Possible sentences would depend on the value of the stolen packages ranging from one to twenty years in prison. AL.com notes Weaver introduced the same bill last year, but it did not advance.
For the safety of travelers and road workers, the Alabama Department of Transportation will suspend temporary lane closures on Alabama interstates from 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23 to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1. Between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1, AAA expects more than 119 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home, an increase of about 3 million compared to the same period in 2023. ALDOT encourages travelers on Alabama roadways to plan ahead, allow extra time to reach their destination and drive alert and free of distractions. You can find traffic and road condition information, including live traffic and camera feeds, at www.ALGOTraffic.com or on the ALGO Traffic app.