BHAM I-59/20 to be closed for over a year.

RTR91

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Was told this weekend there's a lawsuit on the way because of the construction. Apparently, the bridge engineering firm didn't do their job, and the bridges aren't properly aligned.
 

rolltide_21

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Dec 9, 2007
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That's incredible if true. Going to be some heads on the chopping block.
Yes, but kinda expected given how things go around Birmingham/Jefferson County. Granted this isn’t the local government’s fault. I was waiting for something major to drop in regards to this project. In the words of Jerry Gergich from Parks and Rec, “Well it ain’t government work unless you do it twice.”


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92tide

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so, we'll be heading through b-ham from atlanta to i-22 in a few weeks. is it best to take 459 to 65 n and bypass i-20 thru downtown? or is it best to just suck it up and use the detours?
 

BamaInBham

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so, we'll be heading through b-ham from atlanta to i-22 in a few weeks. is it best to take 459 to 65 n and bypass i-20 thru downtown? or is it best to just suck it up and use the detours?
Under normal circumstances you only add 3 or 4 minutes or so to your drive through Bham. They have done a nice job and have provided several options.
 

4Q Basket Case

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Under normal circumstances you only add 3 or 4 minutes or so to your drive through Bham. They have done a nice job and have provided several options.
Can't believe I'm agreeing with this, but BIB's right. ALDOT really did a good job in what could have been a horrendous set of circumstances. It's a teeny bit inconvenient, but nowhere near what I thought it would be, especially if you can dodge rush hour. If you can do that, take the surface street detours.

If you absolutely can't avoid rush hour, especially the morning one, I'd probably go 459 to 65 to 22. Longer distance, but about the same time, and less stomach acid because you're dealing with 3-4 lane interstate congestion, as opposed to 1-2 lane surface street congestion.
 
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dayhiker

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so, we'll be heading through b-ham from atlanta to i-22 in a few weeks. is it best to take 459 to 65 n and bypass i-20 thru downtown? or is it best to just suck it up and use the detours?
If the navigation apps show a backup, just exit at the old Century Plaza, take 3rd Ave S into town and just keep on until it hits I65, get back on and head to I22.
 

BamaNation

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one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

al.com said:
The last phase of the Interstate 59/20 bridge project is now about 65 percent complete and on track to be open to traffic by the March 21, 2020, deadline, Alabama Department of Transportation officials said.

About 600 of the 2,316 segments of the new interstate bridges have been installed; That’s a little more than one-quarter of all the segments that will comprise the new bridges, ALDOT East Central Region Engineer DeJarvis Leonard said
https://www.al.com/news/2019/06/600...installed-project-on-schedule-aldot-says.html
 

rgw

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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

Doesn't hurt that Georgia likely has a much better state tax revenue base and can fund things without federal money. In Alabama, you're getting the bare minimum federally funded implementation for many public works and services.
 

RTR91

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Nov 23, 2007
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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

Doesn't hurt that Georgia likely has a much better state tax revenue base and can fund things without federal money. In Alabama, you're getting the bare minimum federally funded implementation for many public works and services.
That changes with Rebuild Alabama. The federal match amount is gone after this year from what I understand.


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GrayTide

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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

This has nothing to do with the OP's thread, but went to visit my aunt in Montgomery this past Wednesday. I decided to make the drive on the backroads and avoid the Interstate. It probably took an hour longer, but it was stress free plus I got to go through some small towns in Alabama I had heard of but never had the chance to see.
 

Tidewater

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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

This has nothing to do with the OP's thread, but went to visit my aunt in Montgomery this past Wednesday. I decided to make the drive on the backroads and avoid the Interstate. It probably took an hour longer, but it was stress free plus I got to go through some small towns in Alabama I had heard of but never had the chance to see.
That is kind of the way I feel about Atlanta. I'll drive a long way around Atlanta to avoid the Atlanta metro area. It may take longer in the end, but much less stressful.
 
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rgw

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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

That changes with Rebuild Alabama. The federal match amount is gone after this year from what I understand.


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Wait, Rebuild Alabama is making the problem worse?
 

RTR91

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Nov 23, 2007
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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

Wait, Rebuild Alabama is making the problem worse?
No. It means we aren’t reliant on the federal money. The state and county will have enough to not need the federal allocation.


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92tide

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Re: one-quarter of new bridge segments installed. On track to re-open by March 2020

we went thru b-ham on the weekend of the 4th and the detour was super easy and didn't really add too much to our time. we got off at hwy 79 (?) and went north a little ways into tarrant then on some small roads over a mtn to the exit just north of i-22. the roads were in pretty rough shape, but it really wasn't much worse than the old cut-thru off of daniel payne before i-22 was finished.

thanks everyone for the info upthread.
 

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