Southbound traffic on I-59 south of Collinsville in DeKalb County shifted this afternoon to one lane of the northbound roadway.
The southbound roadway from just south of Exit 205 at SR-68 in Collinsville to milepost 199.5 will remain closed for about a year for reconstruction.
Concrete barriers separate two-way traffic on the northbound roadway.
The closure and traffic shift start the second 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 with contractor Vulcan Materials is one of three reconstruction projects currently underway on I-59 in DeKalb County.
First phase
Five miles of southbound roadway reconstructed during the first phase opened last month. That phase extended from mileposts 199.5 to milepost 194.5, south of the Stephens Gap Road overpass north of Reece City in Etowah County.
Though the contractor removed concrete barriers from the northbound roadway between mileposts 194.5 and 199.5, motorists should expect single-lane closures on that segment to continue until striping is completed.
Visit ALGOtraffic.com or download the ALGO Traffic app for real-time traffic and road condition information.
I-59 reconstruction
Since 2020, ALDOT has awarded $239.2 million across six contracts to reconstruct and rehabilitate I-59 in in DeKalb and Etowah counties.
So far, these projects have put 35 miles of reconstructed roadway put into service, with another 25 miles under construction or under contract for replacement or rehabilitation.
Ongoing projects
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 those projects.
Past 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 late this year or early next 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.
