The Alabama Department of Transportation is in the final stages of designing a repair for the section of Alabama 117 destabilized by a landslide following heavy rainfall earlier this month. ALDOT tentatively plans to take bids for the emergency project Wednesday, April 28,
with work scheduled to begin Monday, May 3.

The first phase of the project will require continued closure of the highway between Valley Head and Mentone for about 30 days from start of work, barring unforeseen conditions. After the road reopens to traffic, a second phase of work estimated to take another 45 days will require singlelane closures at times.

The repair will include excavation along a 300-foot-long section of the highway and construction of a rock buttress — a more stable rock fill replacing the loose material — followed by reconstruction of that section of the road.