About five miles of reconstructed I-59 — the first segment of the southbound roadway replaced in northeast Alabama — will open today.
ALDOT anticipates the southbound roadway between mileposts 199.5 and 194.5, south of the Stephens Gap Road overpass north of Reece City, to open before noon. The inside lanes of both roadways will remain temporarily closed for ongoing work.
The segment closed a little over a year ago for the first phase of a $40.7 million reconstruction project to replace a total of about ten miles of roadway in Etowah and DeKalb counties.
The project is part of a massive investment by ALDOT in reconstructing and rehabilitating nearly the entire corridor from north of Reece City to the Georgia state line. Due to age and deterioration of its slabs, much of the original, underlying concrete road must undergo total reconstruction.
The contractor, Vulcan Materials, completely demolished the old roadway, then built up its replacement by making improvements to the subgrade, constructing a new crushed aggregate base and paving multiple layers of asphalt. The project also includes installation of guardrail, striping, pavement markers and signs.
Concrete barriers will stay in place on the northbound roadway until further work items are complete. The contractor will implement temporary lane closures on the southbound roadway to complete minor remaining work on this first phase of the project while also preparing for the project’s second phase.
Next phase
The second phase will replace the southbound roadway from south of Exit 205 at SR-68 in Collinsville to milepost 199.5.
Preparation for the next phase includes construction of crossovers through the median of I-59. The crossovers are necessary to shift southbound traffic to the inside lane of the northbound roadway. The northbound roadway will carry two-way traffic, separated by concrete barriers, during the second phase of construction.
To construct the northern crossover — as well as planned drainage — the contractor must first remove a rock outcrop from the median just south of Exit 205. Removal of the rock is ongoing. ALDOT advises drivers to expect single-lane closures in the area and watch for trucks entering the highway.
After the next segment of southbound roadway closes to traffic in early fall, the contractor will demolish and reconstruct it.
ALDOT anticipates completion of the project in 2027.
Miles of new roadway
The opening of this segment brings the total to 35 miles of new roadway put into service in DeKalb and Etowah counties in recent years, with another 25 miles under construction or under contract for replacement or rehabilitation.
Since 2020, ALDOT has awarded $239.2 million in contracts to reconstruct and rehabilitate I-59 in northeast Alabama.
Two other I-59 reconstruction projects remain currently active on I-59 in DeKalb County.
A $41 million replacement of eight miles of the northbound roadway from north of Hammondville to the state line nears its anticipated completion later this year.
Also, a $47.5 million reconstruction and rehabilitation of 16 miles of I-59 southbound near the state line began in May. ALDOT anticipates completion of that project in 2029.
Wiregrass Construction is the contractor on both projects.
Three earlier projects replaced the northbound roadway between Reece City and Collinsville and from SR-35 in Fort Payne to north of SR-40/SR-117 in Hammondville.
When all current projects are complete, ALDOT will have reconstructed nearly two-thirds of I-59 from south of Stephens Gap Road in Etowah County to the state line. Many additional miles will have undergone widening and rehabilitation as part of these projects.
Upcoming project
ALDOT anticipates letting later this year a seventh project, which will reconstruct the northbound roadway, from north of SR-68 at Collinsville to Exit 218 at SR-35 in Fort Payne.
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