I-59/20 Bridge Project Phase III Closure Announcement

January 15, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



MEDIA ADVISORY

I-59/20 Bridge Project Update

PHASE III CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT, IN BIRMINGHAM

(CBD) Central Business District Project

BIRMINGHAM– The Alabama Department of Transportation announces that construction crews are preparing to transition to close portions of I-59/20 through downtown Birmingham for Phase III of the I-59/20 Central Business District Bridge Project. This transition period is expected to take place January 18, 2019 – February 4, 2019 and includes three weekends of construction activities surrounding the closure.

Weather permitting, the transition plan for Phase III of the I-59/20 Central Business District Bridge Project closure is as follows:

FIRST WEEKEND / JANUARY 18-21:

o Red Mountain Expressway ramp to I-59 SB will close until the new ramp and new bridges are constructed and open to traffic.

o Ramp from I-59 SB to Red Mountain Expressway SB will not be available; however, the Central Business District bridges will still be open. The ramp will re-open Monday, January 21, 2019.

o JANUARY 21: The evening of January 21, 2019, the shutdown of the Central Business District bridges begins from the interchange at I-65 to the interchange at Red Mountain Expressway.

SECOND WEEKEND / JANUARY 25-28:

o JANUARY 25-28: FROM 9:00 P.M., Friday until 6:00 A.M. Monday, Carraway Boulevard will be closed under the I-59/20 Central Business District bridges between Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard and 11th Avenue North.

THIRD WEEKEND / FEBRUARY 3-4:

o FEBRUARY 3-4: Carraway Boulevard will be closed in the vicinity of the I-59/20 Central Business District bridges for completion of the demolition of the Red Mountain Expressway ramp to I-59/20 SB. Carraway Boulevard will reopen by 6:00 A.M. on February 4, 2019.

o FEBRUARY 4: 25th Street off ramp open to traffic.

Please keep in mind that construction plans can change due to weather and other factors; however, weather permitting, ALDOT anticipates the closure to be early the week of January 21st.

Motorists are encouraged to use caution, obey the posted speed limits, adjust arrival/departure times, and use I-459 to go around the closures whenever possible. I-459 will be the most efficient way to avoid construction delays and bypass the closure. For local traffic, there will be signed detours along with increased presence of law enforcement, Alabama Service Assistance Patrol (ASAP) trucks, and wrecker service to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible.

This work is a part of the I-59/20 Central Business District (CBD) Interchange and Bridge Replacement Project. ALDOT thanks motorists for their patience during this Construction Operation to improve Alabama’s roadways.