Drivers across the Birmingham metro area can expect continued road construction as the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) advances more than $339 million in infrastructure projects.
Major Highway Improvements Across the Metro
ALDOT is currently managing 17 construction projects across Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, Walker, and Chilton counties. The projects include highway widening, bridge replacements, resurfacing work, and new traffic designs that aim to improve safety and reduce congestion.
Several of the largest investments are taking place on major commuter routes. Interstate 59 is expanding from four lanes to six between the I-459 interchange and Chalkville Mountain Road in Trussville. Crews are also rebuilding the roadway because decades of resurfacing have left the existing pavement beyond repair. Construction began in 2025 and is expected to finish in spring 2027. The project carries a price tag of about $70.4 million.
Another major project focuses on U.S. 280. Crews are repairing concrete pavement, resurfacing the highway, adding lanes, and upgrading intersections between Homewood and the Cahaba River Bridge. Work started in May 2025 and should wrap up in April 2027. The total cost is approximately $52.7 million.
In Shelby County, ALDOT continues widening Interstate 65 between Calera and Alabaster. The project adds one lane in each direction and replaces eight aging bridges. Officials expect the work to ease congestion along one of Alabama’s busiest highway corridors. Construction is scheduled to continue through spring 2028.
Traffic Flow and Bridge Upgrades
Several Birmingham-area projects focus on improving traffic movement at busy intersections. In Homewood, ALDOT is building a diverging diamond interchange at I-65 and Lakeshore Parkway. The design allows drivers to make left turns onto the interstate without crossing opposing traffic. Officials expect the new layout to reduce delays for the more than 150,000 vehicles that travel through the interchange each day. Construction began in February 2026 and should finish in fall 2027.
Another diverging diamond interchange is taking shape at Exit 104 on I-20/59 near McCalla. The project includes new entrance and exit ramps, upgraded intersections, and improved access to nearby neighborhoods and Jefferson Metropolitan Park. Once complete, it will become Jefferson County’s first diverging diamond interchange.
ALDOT is also replacing several aging bridges across the region. Projects include bridges over Little Shades Creek in Bessemer and Mountain Brook, Shephard Branch in Irondale, Little Canoe Creek in St. Clair County, Walnut Creek in Clanton, and the Blackburn Fork of the Little Warrior River in Blount County. These improvements will modernize aging structures while improving long-term safety for motorists.
Additional Projects Across Six Counties
Beyond the larger highway projects, ALDOT crews continue resurfacing Interstate 20 in St. Clair County and Interstate 22 in Walker County. The department is also replacing highway signs along I-22 from the Mississippi state line to Birmingham.
Other improvements include the Morgan Road and Lakeshore Parkway realignment near Bessemer. The project creates a more direct connection between I-459 and I-65 while supporting growing industrial development in western Jefferson County.
Combined, these 17 projects represent one of the largest ongoing transportation investments in the Birmingham metro area. Most projects will continue through 2026 or later, with several scheduled for completion between 2027 and 2028. Drivers should expect periodic lane closures, changing traffic patterns, and construction delays as work progresses.
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