Council discusses Lane Park paving needs

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

Billy Pritchard was beside himself, disappointed that the city of Birmingham hasn’t done a better job maintaining one of its streets that is traveled regularly by Mountain Brook residents.

Lane Park Road is a Birmingham thoroughfare which is the city’s gateway to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, but the road is in need of repair due to potholes.

“It’s just really disappointing,” the councilman said during the Jan. 9 Mountain Brook City Council meeting. “That is probably, maybe one of the top two major tourist attractions for the city of Birmingham and it’s their road. It’s their entrance way for tons of people from Mountain Brook going in there and also from around the state.

“It’s just really disappointing they won’t fix their own road,” Pritchard continued. “If they’re not going to do it, we ought to do it.”

Councilman Lloyd Shelton said it’s great for Mountain Brook to fix the potholes.

“We’re stepping in and fixing a problem of another city,” Shelton said. “What else would be in it for us, other than we’re doing it because we’re tired of waiting?”

Mayor Stewart H. Welch III said he initially thought getting Birmingham to fix the potholes would be easy, but he has since learned it is not that simple.

“Even though it’s Birmingham’s road, it is probably 90% used by Mountain Brook residents,” Welch said. “And every Mountain Brook resident assumes it’s our road, and that we’re not taking care of it.”

The council decided to delay taking action on the road. In the meantime, City Manager Sam Gaston said he will seek cost estimates from Mountain Brook Public Works Director Ronnie Vaughn about what it would take to pave the trouble spots on the street and/or patch them.

“I was going to talk with Birmingham,” Gaston said, “about some additional funds, what might be needed.”