Greater Birmingham Roads and Freeways

[| BRAVO |]

I've read in a few publications that the I-22/I-65 interchange is bidding in March with construction to begin in May. I love shiny new interstate interchanges.

[bhamsly]

Hopefully funds could be found to expedite this project, and new lanes could be added to I-65 on the southend of town between Hwy 31 and the junction(Malfunction Junction). I-59 and I-20 seriously needs more more lanes, and the interchange of those 2 with I-20/59 needs to be repaved. This could however wait until other projects are completed.

From AL.com By mid-May motorists will see a lot more work on the $241 million Interstate 65-Corridor X interchange, the Alabama Department of Transportation's most expensive construction job.

Construction will include running the corridor under I-65, and the rebuilding and widening of I-65 to eight lanes along the interchange.

Exit ramps also will be built leading to three-lane collector-distributor roads along the interchange, which will extend about four miles from 16th Street in Birmingham to U.S. 31 in Fultondale.

ALDOT plans to open bids for the interchange work on March 27. Construction is expected to take four to five years, but the state could allow the contractor to add work shifts to expedite construction. That would lessen the time needed to complete it, but it would increase costs.

The corridor, which will eventually become Interstate 22 linking Birmingham to Memphis, is now open to motorists from Memphis to Graysville.

The initial work will be to reconstruct I-65 from 41st Avenue to Fultondale. As the new roadway is completed, traffic will be shifted to it and the process will continue until the new interstate through the interchange is complete.

"This is the biggest project to be constructed in the state," said Mike Mahaffey, head of construction for ALDOT's Birmingham division.

Work has already begun to widen I-65 from 41st Avenue North to 16th Street North in preparation for the interchange construction.

The $73 million widening work is expected to be completed within two years. A second project, to widen I-65 from 41st Avenue to Walker Chapel Road, is scheduled to begin next year.

The last paving job on the corridor, 1.3 miles to connect to the I-65 interchange, will be bid in February with work to begin in April, Mahaffey said.

Work continues on about five miles of the corridor between Cherry Avenue and I-65. Work on the 2.5-mile section from Cherry Avenue to Coalburg Road is behind schedule, but workers are installing right-of-way fences and pouring flumes for drainage. A six-mile section from Graysville to Cherry Avenue in Forestdale is open to local traffic only.

A 1.3-mile section of the corridor that barrels through what was once Smithfield Estates is under contract with clearing under way. Work on the last interstate connector section is to begin in April.

The extension of the corridor to U.S. 31 is not a part of the immediate interchange construction plan.

Corridor X is so named because it is part of an alphabet soup of interstates paid for by Appalachian Regional Commission money. Work on Corridor X has been on the drawing board since 1978. Construction of the 96 miles of Corridor X in Alabama is estimated to cost $1.4 billion when completed.

[kayman]

Hmmm, I guess Mountain Brook is on to something that many including myself were arguing for ramps at intersections with US 280 along with service roads aligning the roadway between Red Mountain Expressway and I-459. The funny part is that former Governor Don Siegelman was promoting this plan a decade ago, but apparently as usual we have to be a decade late at anything around here. However, this would be a much smarter way of reorganizing traffic flow along this major corridor rather than that stupid elevated tollway.

http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingh.../13/story3.html

[kayman]

Although there seems to be a concensus amongst the areas inside the I-459 belt to block any further motions towards an elevated roadway, the MPO has approved the study of the eastern portion of the road from I-459 to Double Oak Mountain. Another foolish move if you ask me...

Also they approved $31.5M for the reconstruction and rehabilation of I-65 from Montgomery Highway to I-459, and $10M for I-20/59 from Alabama Adventure Parkway to I-459.

[Otto]

Are there pictures of the design or plans for the I-65/corridor X interchange available.

[aboutmetro]

I-22 work to B'ham is continuing...As reported by AL.com. The image below shows the map of the interchange with I-65 and its termination at US-31 in north B'ham. Unfortunately, no plans for the Freeway's much needed extension to the Georgia Coast. Efforts to cut transportation infrastructure may stall many transportation projects.

Map showing potential route to the coast -