Cahaba River

Radford Ramp Project

(see link at bottom of page)



The Radford Bridge access project was made possible by a Community Development Grant Application to the State Association of RC & D Councils written by Dr. Thomas Wilson in conjunction with Tim Sanderson, Perry County Commissioner. The grant was awarded and the work was done by the Perry County Engineer's Department.

Work began on the Radford ramp in November, 2008, and the project is completed. The ramp is presently open to the public and all work was finished in mid-December, 2008.




Directions to the Radford Ramp in Perry County: At the junction of State Hwy 14 and Perry County Hwy 30 (the Perryville Volunteer Fire Department building is on the corner); go West on the old gravel County Road 30 road for one mile. The road terminated at the ramp.


[I have left the story of the struggle for the Radford Ramp as it unfolded to honor the hard work and dedication of Judson College and the Perry County Commission toward providing access to the Cahaba River for Perry County and others who love this river.]

Radford take out... an almost impossible ditch
 
 
The take-out at the old Radford Bridge is an eroded, steep, muddy ditch with the banks covered with poison ivy. Judson College students make this trip several times a year. Randy Haddock. Field Director of the Cahaba River Soceity, has gone with our group for almost 20 straight years. Here is Randy working to get the girls safely to the bank and the canoes and gear up that dang ditch. Guess what fun it is when it is raining cats and frogs!
 
Meadowlark Kastner isn't worried about getting up the ditch Dr. Wilson and his crew seem a little concerned about the conditions.
   
The water is deep against the take-out bank. Trees have washed into the ditch area. This important "take-out" is a nightmare...we need help!
   
Time to go up the ditch
Get out if you can
   
   
We put our canoe into the Cahaba River at the Radford "ditch" on June 23, 2005, and took the following photos of conditions on the road and at the take-out.
   
Ricki Morrison and Valerie Burnes hope that we are not stuck Tree limbs and bushes scratch cars
   
Sliding the canoe down the ditch The old Radford Bridge which collapsed in about 1960
   
Big trees have fallen in the river close to the take-out Approaching the take-out
   
Ricki Morrison heads toward ditch takeout
Ricki and Valerie prepare to pull the canoe up the ditch
   
   
   
Tree tops block the take-out We will miss the fun of pulling and pushing our canoes up the deep ditch at the Radford bank. It was especially intertaining during a hard rain!
   
Ditch take-out Thomas Wilson at top of ditch take-out
   
Howard Richie of Marion supports our efforts to improve the take-out Pulling the canoe up the ditch
   
Pushing the canoe up the ditch Carring the canoe out of the ditch
   
Parking area at the Radford take-out The Radford parking area is full of weeds, mudholes, and ruts. It could be a very nice place.
   
   
A group of people with a long history of "helping" the river is working hard through political channels and paths to get an official County Park constructed at the Radford take-out. If you want to help with this project, contact me, Thomas Wilson, 334-683-6389.
 
The Radford Bridge Canoe Access The project is done! Look at the images (Dec. 2008).