The subcontractor who is reportedly responsible for spilling chicken guts on downtown Tuscaloosa roads three times this year will find another route to transport the poultry, a spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Transportation said Tuesday morning.

The first incident, back in late April, seemed bizarre but understandable -- a contractor carrying chicken parts from North Alabama to Mississippi accidentally dumped part of its load on Lurleen Wallace Boulevard in Tuscaloosa, creating a slick, stinking mess for ALDOT crews to clean off the heavily trafficked road.

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Then, bizarrely, the exact same situation unfolded again on the Fourth of July, and in exactly the same place. Right at the intersection of Lurleen Wallace and University Boulevard, another truck had dumped a significant amount of chicken parts.

The incident generated a collective groan of disbelief and headlines around the state, but then a single week later, this Monday, a third truck had the same issue in the same place.

Now, area leaders are done laughing about spillages and are taking action to make sure they don't happen again.

Mayor Walt Maddox joined the Steve & DC Show on Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa's 95.3 the Bear Tuesday morning to discuss the disgusting dilemma.

"After the second time, we identified the company or companies that we think are involved," Maddox said. "ALDOT, as it's a state highway, is certainly going to take the lead but we're going to be right there behind them because we and Northport are having to assist with this stuff."

Maddox said the spills happening three times in a three-month period and twice in a single week is evidence of a systemic problem.

"It's ridiculous and quite frankly -- One time is an accident. Twice, OK maybe there's some possibility but we're in the third time now," Maddox said. "The taxpayers are having to clean up this mess and the taxpayers are the ones being inconvenienced by it, it's time to get your act together."

Maddox didn't identify the companies involved in his radio interview, but ALDOT's public information officer John McWilliams said the trucks responsible for the spills are subcontractors working for Tyson Foods moving chicken from North Alabama through Tuscaloosa to Mississippi.

McWilliams told the Thread that the state agency has sent bills to the subcontractor after each cleanup and that Monday's spill was the final straw.

"We talked to them again yesterday and they're going to be finding another route to deliver to Mississippi," McWilliams said. "Hopefully this will be the last of the chicken spills in Tuscaloosa."

Hopefully, indeed. Stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread for more hyperlocal news without a paywall.

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