The Road Ahead

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has completed the first phase of the Birmingham Northern Beltline, a 52-mile, six lane corridor that will eventually stretch from I-59 in northeast Jefferson County to the I-459 interchange with I-59/20 near Bessemer. Construction on the first phase, a 1.34 mile highway grade and drain project from SR 79 to SR 75, began in February 2014. Work on the second phase, which consists of bridging this section to carry traffic, is preliminarily scheduled to begin in 2020.

Construction of the Northern Beltline is expected to enhance cross-region accessibility, create jobs, stimulate economic growth and respond to existing development, as well as address future traffic growth. Birmingham is unique among U.S. urban areas because it has four interstates that converge and connect to other southeastern metropolitan areas. The Beltline will someday touch every mainline interstate in Jefferson County, creating significant opportunities for growth, prosperity and interconnectivity across the greater Birmingham area and within the Southeast.