A road-work project in Jackson County is causing headaches for drivers.
Alabama 277 in Bridgeport is getting repaved, but it's been three weeks and counting of barely drivable roads in the meantime. Residents who live in the area said the highway is a major part of their daily travels, and its current condition has become a huge annoyance.
"Once the asphalt got ripped up — and the fact it's been left in this condition for so long — it's starting to really wear on peoples' cars and stuff," said Dennis Lambert.
Lambert said the highway is so bad that driving on it creates dust clouds and can make it difficult to steer. The gravel has damaged cars and cracked windows, and Lambert said that's not the only issue.
"You can't even see the highway," he said. "You don't know where the stripes are at. You don't know where the lanes are at, and when it rains, it's even worse."
Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é spoke to one of the road workers, who said they're resurfacing the road and striping about a 10-mile stretch. He said people need to slow down, something Lambert also encouraged.
Lambert said he doesn't understand why the issue event exists. The construction started three weeks ago, and some are surprised it's taken so long.
Lambert said he hopes the Alabama Department of Transportation, which oversees projects like these, changes its policy so shorter strips of highway are ripped up at one time or there is a shorter wait time between tearing up the highway and starting the resurfacing.
Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é reached out to ALDOT to see when this road project will be finished or what might be causing the delay. We're waiting to hear back.
