Birmingham

[Charles2]

The latest update on I-20/59 through downtown Birmingham:

https://www.al.com/news/2019/06/600-i-5920-bridge-segments-installed-project-on-schedule-aldot-says.html

[Tomahawkin]

That construction is 65 percent complete. I hope it's done before Xmas! I wish they would redo the Atlanta interchanges like that...

[rcm195]

I was just there on the surface streets (Arrington Blvd) this week. If you get a chance drive up close to the construction area. These segments are massive. You also get an idea how much taller this one mile segment will be vs the old one. They don't compare, completely different. I now can see how something like City Walk can be built underneath it. Oh and the engineer in charge, Dr. Leonard said a final design of City Walk would be shown next month.

[Charles2]

https://www.al.com/news/2019/07/i-5920-bridge-project-progress-6-months-in.html

This gives a pretty good idea of how the 59/20 bridge project has progressed over the past six months.

[Charles2]

The latest pics from the I-20/59 rebuild:

https://www.al.com/news/g66l-2019/08/0a0dedbfaf3400/latest-photos-from-the-i5920-bridge-construction-in-birmingham.html

[Voyager75]

The I-65 section south of town from Exit 242 (Co. Hwy 52) to Exit 238 (US-31) finally expanded to 3 lanes in each direction over the past 2 days. I stress that it is still very much a construction zone as the lanes are on a temp configuration until the last asphalt layer is laid down. That won't occur until April 2020....

I assume the rest of the landscaping, new lighting at each exit and some drainage work will continue through the winter.

Some of the new signage has gone up. I assume the rest will go up in stages. Only got I-65 south. Will try and get northbound on Friday. As usual for ALDOT, close but no cigar in quality control.

Off-center Saginaw...


Good on this one...





iPad

Edit:
Here's the one Northbound 65 pic I snagged.



As you can see with the exit only tab, the current alignments are almost a full lane off. The lane I'm in very much continues straight. Everything will shift to the left as you can see over at the barrels once the final layer is put down.

[Georgia]

pics of the 20/59 construction from 9/30.

https://www.al.com/news/g66l-2019/10/d4a7b350ca9595/new-photos-of-the-i5920-bridge-construction-in-birmingham.html

[Anthony_JK]

OK...quick question.

Are there any plans still to replace Malfunction Junction (I-20/I-59/I-65 interchange) with a more traditional stack or turbine interchange?

[froggie]

Given the ramps they added as part of the 20/59 rebuild downtown, I'd hazard a bet the answer is "no".

[roadman65]

I think I answered some of it, but I guess my post did not get posted or some other freak accident.  However, the signs on I-65 still show the old ramps to the left and the crossover to the other side still, so most likely as froggie says "No."

[Charles2]

The latest photos from the I-20/59 bridge rebuild:

https://www.al.com/news/g66l-2019/11/ef89e7969d1726/new-photos-of-the-i5920-bridge-construction-in-birmingham.html

[Tomahawkin]

Does anyone know of a completion date of the 20/59 corridor, I'm guessing it will be around March 1st, but I'm not going to take it to the bank...

[codyg1985]

I would be willing to bet it opens before March.

[Tomahawkin]

That's good to know! Do you know or can speculate as to what the next big interstate project in the Birmingham area will be? I hope its improving IH 65 South of Birmingham. That route is so antiquated IMO. While Typing this, the overall 4 lane interstate 20 viaduct east of Birmingham needs to be gutted and rebuilt. I think that might have more priority??? But I'm just guessing...

[Voyager75]

It looks like AL-149 has been further truncated.  For many years the southern terminus of the route was at US-280 in Mountain Brook and the northern terminus was at US-31/280 at University Boulevard near St. Vincent's Hospital.  Some years ago northern terminus of was truncated to Oxmoor Road in Homewood.  Now it appears that the route now ends at the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and Green Springs Highway (CR-99).

Before I-65 was completed, AL-149 served as the signed truck route for US-31 and US-280.  Now it the route serves no redeeming purpose.  Why does ALDOT continue to maintain what's left of this route?

Got off at the I-65/Lakeshore Drive exit last night and lo and behold new AL-149 North and South directional signs indicating that AL-149 now travels westward along Lakeshore Drive to some point. Unfortunately we were on our way to a dinner function with friends so I couldn't find out how far it now goes. Couldn't get pics either but maybe I can this weekend. The AL-149 North signs that were removed at Lakeshore and Greensprings are now back up with a arrow pointing towards I-65.


iPad

[codyg1985]

It looks like AL-149 has been further truncated.  For many years the southern terminus of the route was at US-280 in Mountain Brook and the northern terminus was at US-31/280 at University Boulevard near St. Vincent's Hospital.  Some years ago northern terminus of was truncated to Oxmoor Road in Homewood.  Now it appears that the route now ends at the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and Green Springs Highway (CR-99).

Before I-65 was completed, AL-149 served as the signed truck route for US-31 and US-280.  Now it the route serves no redeeming purpose.  Why does ALDOT continue to maintain what's left of this route?

Got off at the I-65/Lakeshore Drive exit last night and lo and behold new AL-149 North and South directional signs indicating that AL-149 now travels westwardalong Lakeshore Drive to some point. Unfortunately we were on our way to a dinner function with friends so I couldn’t find out how far it now goes. Couldn’t get pics either but maybe I can this weekend. The AL-149 North signs that were removed at Lakeshore and Greensprings are now back up with a arrow pointing towards I-65.


iPad

Here is the change log from June 2019 from the ALDOT Milepost Map for Jefferson County:

INTERSTATE 65 @ 255.047 (COUNTY MILEAGE 6.475) AND STATE ROUTE 149 @ 3.370 (COUNTY MILEAGE 3.370) AND 4.090 (COUNTY MILEAGE 4.090) DUE TO ELIMINATION OF SEGMENT OF STATE ROUTE 149 AND ADDITION / RELOCATION OF SEGMENT OF 149 ON THE STATE SYSTEM. MAINTENANCE ASSUMED BY CITY OF HOMEWOOD.

[Voyager75]

I was going to assume AL-150 as well but that graphic indicates it ends at West Oxmoor now. Not really much use for the extension then. To AL-150 would make more sense as there is a lot of new commercial development starting around the Ross Bridge area, plus with the massive Dollar General distribution center past that.


iPad

[Tomahawkin]

I hope I'm right but I'm guessing that the new 20/59 viaduct will be open in 3 weeks? And after that, IH 65 south of Birmingham needs two more lanes in both directions as well as interchange improvements, IMO, its better to be proactive than reactive, even if that rebuild takes 4 year which would probably be the case with all the rock blasting, south of Birmingham...

[codyg1985]

Unfortunately I don't know of any long-term plans to widen I-65 between I-20/59 and I-459. The terrain will make that very challenging.

[rcm195]

Honestly I'm not sure of any major projects going forward in the Birmingham metro area(I'm not including the northern belt line) past the rebuild of 59/20. My personal "next priority" ? Build the flyover for west bound 280 traffic to enter southbound 459. Any idea if this project is still on any "5 year"  plans or not?

[clong]

The rework of the Valleydale/I-65 interchange will be a good one as well. That would allow the 4th lane to be opened all the way to Alabaster once that construction is completed.

[barcncpt44]

The I-59/20 bridges spanning downtown Birmingham will be open to traffic on or before January 21st ALDOT announced today.
https://abc3340.com/news/local/aldot-announces-re-open-date-for-i-5920-bridges-in-birmingham

[Georgia]

I am driving to Memphis on the 21st, god i hope i can take the bridges and not that detour through lovely industrial NE Birmingham that I have been. 

[rlb2024]

Ribbon cutting for the new 20/59 bridge through downtown Birmingham held this afternoon . . .

https://abc3340.com/news/local/ribbon-cutting-ceremony-held-for-new-700m-i-5920-bridges-in-downtown-birmingham

[Charles2]

I-20W/I-59S opens tonight at 9:00 p.m.  I-20E/I-59N is scheduled to open Sunday at 8:00 p..m.