Be prepared. Red Mountain Expressway North to I-59-20 North to close on Halloween

Got trick or treat plans this Halloween evening? If you normally use Red Mountain Expressway North to I-59/20 Northbound to travel home in the afternoon, be prepared to take an alternative route today and until further notice.  The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is closing the heavily travelled road at 4:00pm today, October 31 for bridge construction purposes.

Presently, all indications point toward  ALDOT  closing the major expressway on Halloween afternoon, despite confusing messages on the ALDOT 59/20 website and on social media telling commuters the expressway was going to be closed on Tuesday in the press release and Wednesday on Twitter.

Bham Now can confirm (we actually travelled it!), Red Mountain Expressway northbound is currently open as of the morning of October 31st at 5:30.

Despite the typos, we should anticipate portions of the expressway to close in the afternoon.

Below is a screenshot of ALDOT’s 59/20 Bridges press release on their website:

Here is ALDOT’s Twitter message with the wrong date.

***Closures on Red Mountain Expressway to I-59/20 NB, in Birmingham***

Wednesday, October 30th beginning at 4 p.m. until further notice, Red Mountain Expressway North to I- 59/20 Northbound… https://t.co/m7jWdrPQB3

— 59/20 Bridge (@5920bridge) October 30, 2018

Plans for trick or treating? Go home early

Regardless, of the confusion, do make plans and take alternative routes home if your commute entails using Red Mountain Expressway North today for Halloween.  That also means, if you work, for example at St. Vincent’s Hospital or UAB and live on the eastern part of town, avoid hopping on the expressway after work today to make your way to 59/20 northbound.

Also, follow, the 59/20 Bridges Twitter page and the 59/20 website  regularly  for closure updates and when they will resume allowing traffic back on Red Mountain Expressway Northbound.