ALDOT begins first phase of Birmingham Northern Beltline construction

On Friday, June 28, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) announced its contractor had begun work to complete the first section of the Birmingham Northern Beltline, a highly-anticipated bypass through northern and western Jefferson County

Read on to learn more about the project and when we can expect to begin using the bypass.

What is the Birmingham Northern Beltline?

To help reduce traffic congestion in downtown areas, many large metro areas construct interstate bypass loops around the city. For instance, I-840 serves as an outer bypass for Nashville; offering interstate travelers along I-40 an alternate route around Music City USA.

Back here in The Magic City, I-459—completed in 1984—is a bypass route of I-59 that connects several major towns and cities in southern Jefferson County, including:

• Birmingham
• McCalla/Bessemer
• Hoover
• Roebuck

However, lawmakers and transportation organizations have long wanted to complete the bypass “loop” surrounding The Magic City. Dubbed the Birmingham Northern Beltline, the project is a 52-mile-long route from I-59 in northeast Jefferson County to the I-459 interchange near Bessemer.

A rough outline of the proposed route for the Birmingham Northern Beltline.

Although construction of the Birmingham Northern Beltline began in 2014, a lack of funding caused the project to be put on hold in 2016.

Phase One of the Birmingham Northern Beltline has begun

In April 2023, Governor Kay Ivey announced that $489M in federal funding had been allocated to resume construction on the Birmingham Northern Beltline. In May, ALDOT awarded a $64.7M project bid to Summerdale’s McInnis Construction for the first phase of the bypass.

The first phase of the Birmingham Northern Beltline will be a four-lane highway spanning nearly two miles to connect State Route 79 and State Route 75 in Jefferson County.

According to ALDOT, this phase of the Birmingham Northern Beltline is expected to be completed in late 2026.

Are you excited to see the first phase of the Birmingham Northern Beltline begin? Do we need a northern bypass loop in Jefferson County? Tag us @bhamnow to share your thoughts!