Lane closures coming for Highway 31, 280 flyover tomorrow

ALDOT’s lane closures on Hwy. 31 starts at 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 14.

Highway Lane Closures

Beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 14 and continuing Thursday, March 15, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) plans lane closures on U.S. Highway 31 (Elton B. Stephens Expressway) for lighting repairs.

• The southbound right lane on U.S. Highway 31 will be closed from just south of the I-59 interchange (Exit 126-A) to the US-280 flyover bridge.
• Why? ALDOT needs adequate space for equipment and personnel to complete lighting maintenance work safely.
• After the lighting maintenance is completed in the southbound direction, the work will resume in the northbound direction on U.S. Highway 31, requiring the northbound right lane to be closed, as well.

Every Little Traffic Post Helps

According to ALDOT, all lanes should be open and flowing freely by 5 a.m. Friday morning.

Don’t forget that more Birmingham drivers continue to detour through downtown streets, thanks to bridge work that will be ongoing for years. Years, people!

Other ALDOT Projects

Major work is also slated for the  I-459 and Hwy. 280 interchange. Currently, drivers have to merge across multiple lanes to go west on Hwy. 280. The purpose of the plan is to create dedicated turning lanes for drivers headed towards the Summit, while maintaining a separate lane for drivers heading east toward Grandview Hospital.

The road-widening project on I-65 began in January. The project will add lanes and widen bridges on I-65 from the State Route 3 Interchange (US 31 – Exit 238) in Alabaster to the County Road 52 Interchange (Exit 242) in Pelham, approximately three miles.

The $67.5 million project should be completed by fall 2020.

Traffic Survival Tips

If possible, ALDOT suggests that drivers:

• adjust their arrival and departure times
• observe work zone speed limits and other work zone signs
• use extreme caution in these areas