First section of new Birmingham Northern Beltline now open to traffic
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A little over two years since the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) resumed construction on the Birmingham Northern Beltline, the first section of the highly-anticipated bypass is now open to traffic.
Located between SR-79 and SR-75 in northeast Jefferson County, the 1.88-mile section is the first phase of the future 52-mile I-422, which will ultimately span from I-459 in Bessemer to I-59 in northeast Jefferson County.
What is the Birmingham Northern Beltline?
Initially launched in 2014, the Birmingham Northern Beltline is a future 52-mile-long route from I-59 in northeast Jefferson County to the I-459 interchange near Bessemer that will eventually complete the bypass “loop” surrounding Birmingham.
Due to a lack of funding, the project was put on hold in 2016. However, it was picked back up in 2024 following new allocations of federal infrastructure funds through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Governor Kay Ivey announced that ALDOT had officially opened the first segment of the new roadway between SR-79 and SR-75.
“The completion of the first phase of the Northern Beltline is a watershed moment in this transformational project critical to future economic development in Jefferson and surrounding counties. I commend the tremendous foundational work performed by former Senator Richard Shelby, former Congressman Spencer Bachus, our current congressional delegation and the Trump Administration in making this historic day possible.”
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
According to a press release from the Governor’s Press Office, the 1.88-mile section was completed early and under projected cost estimates. In 2024, ALDOT awarded a $64.7M project bid to Summerdale’s McInnis Construction for the first phase of the bypass.
“This is a monumental step forward for a dream birthed over 40 years ago to create a new connection between southwest and northeast Jefferson County. ALDOT is excited about this milestone and is diligently working to ensure construction begins on the remaining legs of this transformative project in a timely manner.”
DeJarvis Leonard, East Central Region Engineer, ALDOT
ALDOT is now actively working to continue the momentum with construction on the Northern Beltline’s next eight miles west to US-31 in Gardendale. Current plans include awarding contracts on multiple phases in 2027.
