JAMES MADISON QUOTE - 1822

"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives."

SCOTTSBORO WEATHER - SUN & MOON RISE

Monday, August 5, 2013

B.B. Comer Bridge Group Meets with Alabama Department of Transportation

M.H. Lynch Family photo. (Fair Use, Educational non-profit usage.)
Mr. John Cooper, Director of the Alabama Department of Transportation commented that building the B.B. Comer Bridge cost approximately $480,000; the state of Alabama furnished the steel and concrete. The Kansas City Bridge Company (KCBC) was the contractor. Mr. Clyde Broadway's father was on the bridge construction crew. Mr. Broadway reported that after the B.B. Comer Bridge was complete KCBC built several bridges throughout the southeast particularly over the Mississippi river and that his father also worked on those bridge construction projects. 
 
B.B. Comer is the last of the Alabama Steel Truss Bridges in existence, all others have been destroyed.

B.B. Comer Bridge, Scottsboro, Al.("Flicker"-no credit listed, fair use non-profit educational usage.)
 
AL.COM - "Group hoping to save historic B.B. Comer Bridge to meet with DOT official Thursday in Scottsboro - SCOTTSBORO, Alabama -- Sen. Shadrack McGill, R-Scottsboro, has set a meeting with John Cooper, director of the Alabama Department of Transportation, to discuss saving historical B.B. Comer Bridge when its replacement is completed next year...McGill announced the meeting on the Facebook page for the group Friends of the B.B. Comer Bridge, which has 3,200 members."
 
Construction on the new bridge begins. Photo by G. Morgan, Dec 5, 2007. The Bob Jones Bridge is on the left and The B.B. comer Bridge is on the right.
 
 
Who was Mr. Braxton Bragg (B.B.) Comer?
 
Alabama Department of Archives (fair use, educational usage) 
"Braxton Bragg Comer (November 7, 1848 – August 15, 1927) was a planter, businessman, and an American Democratic politician who was the 33rd Governor of Alabama from 1907 to 1911, and a United States Senator in 1920. As governor, he achieved railroad reform, lowering rates for businesses in Alabama to make them more competitive with other states..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._B._Comer
 
Ospreys on B.B. Comer Bridge
Ospreys on B.B. Comer by Hank Allen (Fair Usage rights for non profit news and education.)
B.B. Comer Bridge Osprey nesting. There have been at least one nesting pair on the bridge. The Osprey is also known as a Sea Hawk. Ospreys are a protected species. It was stated by the ALADOT Director, Mr. John Cooper, that permission had been granted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to relocate the nesting Ospreys. Nothing was stated concerning the methodology or when the nesting birds of prey were going to be relocated. Google link with 14 wonderful photos by Hank Allen on these marvelous birds. https://plus.google.com/photos/105427115453635757496/albums/5747910043901334849/5747910200704762306?banner=pwa&pid=5747910200704762306&oid=105427115453635757496 
 
It is of note in Part 2 of this video the multiple statement by Mr. Cooper concerning the required notice advertisements concerning the bridge project in 2002. There was no advertising in any North Alabama newspaper. As stated by Mr. Cooper,  there was advertising in The Montgomery, Mobile and Birmingham newspapers, but none in North Alabama. Should there be a question as to why there was little participation in 2002 during the official public hearings about the bridge demolition.
 



Part 2, comments form ALADOT Director John Cooper.

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