Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County, Ala., will be improving the River Road starting on July 28, 2014. It is anticipated that River Road will be closed for 45 days.
River Road will be rehabilitated for easier and safer access to the refuge by addressing constant erosion issues. Recent storms have caused much of the gravel and road base to be shifted or washed off the road. Refuge crews will improve River Road by replacing lost road base and gravel, stabilizing the riverbank, and addressing the many areas where water crosses the road frequently.
“We realize that many visitors use the area on a regular basis and apologize for the inconvenience, but we know these improvements will make the temporary disruption worth the wait,” said Refuge Manager Sarah Clardy. “We can’t delay these repairs until the rains come.”
Many refuge visitors use this road for fishing and as put-in and take-out points for canoes, kayaks and other small boats. The concrete launch site that has filled in with sediment will be cleared to allow improved access to the river for launching small boats. The riverbank will be stabilized in key areas to prevent further erosion making access to the water less challenging.
River Road will remain a narrow, single lane road with parking pull-overs along many stretches. Visitors will need to continue to drive slowly and carefully once the road re-opens to prevent accidents.
The refuge has attempted to schedule the work when rainfalls will be low to limit sedimentation into the River.
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