By Rebekah Martin
Associate Editor
Traffic will soon flow a little freer around Opelika after city council members awarded a bid to the Birmingham-based Stone & Sons Electrical Contractors, Inc. for the installation of two new traffic signals. The signals will be placed on Spring Street near the Lee County Youth Development Center and on LaFayette Parkway and Lake Condy Road at Opelika High School.
“This is the third resolution for this project. The first resolution was to buy equipment for the signals; the second resolution was to buy the poles that were under bid,” said City Engineer Scott Parker. “These are five signal intersections – Opelika High School and Lake Condy Road on Lafayette Parkway, a new signal is on Spring Street near Pepperell Parkway going toward the Lee County Youth Development Center, and then we’re planning on, with this contract, renovating the signals on Second Avenue and Sixth Street and Eighth Street and Tenth Street. With this will be the improvement of the crosswalks, sidewalks and pedestrian crossing.” Parker said the project is scheduled for completion by the end of Spring.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the Opelika Parks and Recreation Department presented a check to the Food Bank of East Alabama in the amount of $13,145. The funds were raised by the annual Empty Bowls project and will provide more than 92,000 meals for those in Lee and surrounding counties who are hungry. The mayor recognized pottery director Sherrie Spain for all of her hard work in making the event such a success.
In other business, the council:
-Recognized the Opelika City Schools Teachers of the Year.
-Approved a resolution changing the name of the Solid Waste Department to Opelika Environmental Services.
Recognized 20<40 class member Vanessa Barden.
Signed a proclamation naming Feb. 16 “Frank Morris Day” in Opelika. Morris’s family were present to receive the proclamation.