DECATUR, Ala. — A new port is heading to the city of Decatur, and this is expected to improve traffic flow, removing over 14,000 tractor trailers on the interstate. Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling introduces a possible solution in the works.
Mayor Bowling said it is all about two specific things. "It's all about that port being here and being able to get goods in and out and taking traffic off the interstate. We were contacted by the Port of Mobile, the director there, and about a memorandum of understanding between the port and CSX, the railway. We all want less traffic on the interstate as we make our way to the beach. [When] we're trying to make our way to Montgomery."
The product will come in to the port from Central America, South America, Asia and soon Mexico. "From there it will load onto CSX rail and ultimately make its way to a customer here in North Alabama within 2 to 3 days, no more than three days. So that's really that's amazing. Now, that's over a five year period. So we're we're looking at about a two year period before the ports actually open."
During Monday night's Decatur City Council the concern for one resident was noise. "If you guys could advocate for the whole city to maybe try to be like the quiet zone where they could put those extended rail arms in? I mean with all the neighborhoods going up and stuff they will be a selling point actually to the city to grab residents to move in."
Mayor Bowling said this concern is something they are aware of. "That is something that's been mentioned and we'll certainly discuss that with CSX."