Hayden, AL - Hayden residents are calling it progress on an overdue project. Monday night, officials with the Alabama Department of Transportation announced the Highway 160 safety project could begin construction by 2012. Officials also say the agency will begin purchasing right of way this summer. Relieved residents say it's about time for a timeline. They've been waiting years for the dangerous Blount County two lane road to be widened and lined with guard rails and lights.

More than 15 fatal accidents have happened on Highway 160 over the past decade. While local project leaders say 95 percent of car accidents are due to driver error, they say road safety measures would have made a difference in many wrecks.

"Maybe we can cut down on the fatalities. We may have some fender benders, we may have some broken bones but maybe not broken hearts and broken lives like we're dealing with right now," says Amy Camp, project leader.

ALDOT officials understand the concern and say they're moving as fast as they can. They say federally funded projects take time.

"We're trying to shoehorn an incredibly lengthy, cumbersome, federal process into the shortest amount of time we can," says Tony Harris, ALDOT Spokesman.

"If they're willing to give start dates, even potential start dates, we've definitely made some progress because we didn't have those before," says Camp.

Camp has also launched a new campaign called 'I Promise,' which encourages responsible driving.

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