Reviewed by: Michael Seale
5 road projects you need to know about in Jefferson County, including a new turbo roundabout
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Jefferson County has been hard at work to make driving easier. We checked in with Chris Nicholson, Director of Roads and Transportation for the county, to find out more. Here’s what we learned.
1. Bell Hill Road
Bell Hill Road connects Eastern Valley Road with Pocahontas Road near I-459. Development in the area has led to traffic delays at the intersection of Bell Hill and Pocahontas.
When completed, the project will include:
- Five lanes from Eastern Valley Road to Pocahontas Road
- A roundabout at the realigned Bell Hill Road / Pocahontas Road intersection
- Sidewalks throughout the project limits
“The County completed all the road work necessary for UAB Medical West’s official opening.
The whole area is growing: residential and commercial, with the new hospital.”
Chris Nicholson, Director of Roads and Transportation, Jefferson County
Current construction activities:
- Utility relocations ongoing + widening Bell Hill Road from Eastern Valley Road to Letson Farms Parkway
- Signal installation at Letson Farms Parkway + Bell Hill Road
- Construction of the roundabout at the intersection of Bell Hill Road + Pocahontas Road
- Estimated cost: $19M
- Estimated completion date: Winter 2024
Curious to learn more? Check out Jefferson County’s project database for Roads and Transportation.
2. North Chalkville Road
If you haven’t been to Trussville lately, you won’t know the area has been growing like crazy.
The county has an active construction project to improve traffic-related issues resulting from this development.
It’s along North Chalkville Road from Trussville Crossings Parkway to Snake Hill Road.
This project adds new lanes to a major road and optimizes traffic signals. The goal: enhance traffic flow and safety in the area.
“We’ve added lanes in both directions—east and westbound. This will allow the roadway to carry a lot more traffic safely.”
Chris Nicholson, Director of Roads and Transportation, Jefferson County
- Estimated cost: $11M
- Expected completion date: Last quarter 2025
3. Old Tuscaloosa Highway at Lowetown Road
Drive down Old Tuscaloosa Highway and you’ll come to Alabama’s first turbo roundabout.
This five-leg roundabout will service the newly widened four-lane Old Tuscaloosa Highway.
The Jefferson Metropolitan Park expansion, along with residential and other nearby developments means more traffic.
This project aims to reduce congestion and improve safety while accounting for increasing traffic demands.
- Estimated cost: $12 million
- Expected completion date: Fall 2024
4. US-31 at Columbiana Road intersection improvements
Jefferson County will be administering a roadway project to improve the safety and operation of the intersection of Columbiana Road at US-31.
This is in partnership with the City of Vestavia and ALDOT,
This will include the following:
- Pavement repair + resurfacing of US-31 from Lorna Road to McGuire Road
- Resurfacing + striping reconfiguration of Columbiana Road from US-31 to McGuire Road
- Signal detection upgrades + coordination, plus access management
Work will mostly take place overnight to limit the impact to traffic.
- Estimated cost: $1.5M
- Scheduled start date: Fall 2024
- Expected completion date: Spring 2025
5. Roadway resurfacing projects
The County Commission recently put multiple roadway resurfacing projects out for bid.
For safe travels around the county, each year the County resurfaces several roads through the use of construction contractors.
For the fall and winter of 2024, these roads are under contract to be resurfaced:
- Roper Road
- Union Grove Road
- Sweeney Hollow Road
- Dolly Ridge Road
- 16 Residential roads in Martintown
Citizens can expect work to start in the coming weeks and lasting through spring of 2025.
- Estimated cost: $6 million
Jefferson County has a new portal where citizens can get up-to-date information about current projects and five-year plan projects. You can also subscribe to a specific project to get updates.
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