Construction workers are nearly finished replacing a crushed pipe beneath the Hwy. 136 entrance to Gold Creek subdivision, a project that stemmed from September’s heavy rainfall.

Homeowners association board member Joe Brakebill said residents are “excited to death to have the entrance back, but at the same time we’re wondering why it took more than four months to do it.”

City Administrator Kim Cornelison said construction workers got the go-ahead from property owners, Regions Bank, in late January regarding a crushed pipe in the 100-home community.

The entrance lies within city limits.

“It’s a good piece of news for the folks who live out on Gold Creek,” Cornelison said at a Feb. 1 city council meeting. “It’s a long time coming, but I guess the positive thing is that we didn’t have to push it and get into lawyer mode.”

Added Mayor Joe Lane Cox: “It about got to that point as far as I was concerned.”

Tim Deighton of Regions Corporate Communications in Alabama announced plans to repair the problem in December.

Still, residents grew increasingly frustrated at the delays.

“It’s something you don’t think about until you’re in that situation,” Brakebill said. “It can really hinder everyone involved. It affects everything in the neighborhood, especially traffic.”

The closed front entrance is part of now defunct Gold Creek Golf Club and golf course, which Regions Bank foreclosed on last year.

In addition to traffic complications, residents worried about delays to emergency response time.

The back entrance to the neighborhood is on Shoal Creek Road, which is about six minutes away from the Hwy. 136 entrance.