Nearly a decade since work was halted due to a lack of funds, construction crews in Birmingham, Ala., are resuming work on the Northern Beltline.
The $64.7 million first phase of the project calls for a four-lane highway spanning approximately 2 mi. to connect State Route 79 and State Route 75.
“Building a northern interstate route across Jefferson County has been discussed for decades as a way to help move people and goods more efficiently through the area, increase economic development opportunities and provide greater access for residents and emergency responders to get where they need to go,” said DeJarvis Leonard, Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) east central region engineer. “The Northern Beltline was first added to Birmingham’s long-range transportation plan more than 40 years ago.
“Just as I-459 improved the flow of traffic around Birmingham, spurred growth and created jobs for residents in the southern and eastern parts of the Birmingham metro region, the Northern Beltline is expected to do the same for communities in the northern and western areas. When I-459 was completed in the early 1980s, it helped to ease congestion, increase economic development and generally improve the quality of life for Alabamians. We expect the same will happen with the Northern Beltline.”
Alabama’s Congressional delegation secured $489 million over the next five years, which
see ALDOT page 6
After 80 Years, Construction Still Supports Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal
Thirty years after the Sparkman Center complex opened at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., construction is still a major part of the U.S. Army’s work at the arsenal. In fact, building projects have been ongoing at the base since it was established in 1941.
Replacing the roofs at the Sparkman Center is among the many ongoing efforts at the sprawling facility. Named for the late Sen. John Sparkman, an Alabama Democrat who died in 1985, the center opened in August 1994 when six buildings were completed.
Today’s $12 million roof project is expected to be finished around March, the
Redstone Rocket reported Sept. 4, but it is just one of a myriad of construction efforts under way at Redstone for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
On a recent weekday morning, Kris Leatherman sits at his desk in the U.S. Army Garrison Directorate of Public Works (DPW) at Redstone. As the construction branch chief in DPW’s engineering division, he was asked by a Rocket reporter about ongoing construction within the federal facility.
“Here it is, all 10 pages,” he replied, referring to his stack of Excel sheets. “We average about $120 million a year in construc-
tion through our division. We’ve been averaging that for about three or four years now, so it’s a pretty solid number for us.”
Those projects include sustainment, restoration and modernization efforts, he added, and include roads, utilities, roofs and more.
“It covers major facility systems and other basic functions to maintain the backbone of the Arsenal,” Leatherman explained.
Besides Army construction funding, the costs also include tenant-funded requirements for new construction and renovation of administrative, laboratory and testing facilities at the Redstone Arsenal.
“We’re helping the tenants accomplish their mission,” he said.
The Army DPW’s engineering division receives assistance in managing these projects from the garrison’s base operations, resource management, contracting, master planning and environmental division.
Among the other major Redstone Arsenal projects that DPW is overseeing include:
• A $6 million Digital Simulation and Analysis Center, now under construction on Anderson Road for the Space and Missile Defense Command. It is due to be finished late this fall, according to Leatherman.
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Clayton McInnis photo
McInnis Construction of Summerdale, Ala., serves as the prime contractor on the project and is responsible for all aspects of construction and field engineering.
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is set to begin a repair project on state Highway 41 in the southwestern part of the state following a significant landslide in 2023.
Initial work at the site got under way in June, according to the agency, with the bulk of the road rehabilitation set to start Sept. 9 along Ala. 41 at milepost 65.4, between the communities of Hybart and Franklin in Monroe County, northeast of Mobile.
The landslide, which occurred last fall after a period of heavy rainfall, severely impacted the roadway, necessitating immediate traffic restrictions. Since then, the affected section of Ala. 41 has been reduced to a single lane, causing considerable inconvenience for folks living and working in the area and raising safety concerns for commuters and residents alike.
To facilitate the next phase of repairs, traffic is to be detoured to the east of the repair site via nearby Ala. 21/47 and Ala. 265 when the new phase of repairs begins. The detour is expected to remain in place until Nov. 11.
Crews will be working to stabilize the landslide-affected area and restore the roadway to full operational capacity as quickly as possible, ALDOT said.
Interstate 59 Northbound Receives Upgrades Near Georgia Line
In the far northeastern part of Alabama, Wiregrass Construction, based in Dothan, closed a portion of Interstate 59 northbound on Sept. 3 in DeKalb County near the Georgia state line for a $41 million reconstruction project.
The freeway work is designed to upgrade the I-59 road surface, including pavement removal, grading, drainage and pavement and traffic striping, from north of Ala. 40/117 in Hammondville to the Georgia border.
ALDOT noted that northbound traffic will transition to one lane of the southbound roadway via a crossover about
5 mi. north of Hammondville. Concrete barriers will separate single lanes of northbound and southbound traffic for 4.5 mi. while construction is under way. Traffic will return to the northbound roadway at the state line.
Wiregrass is reconstructing a few miles of roadway south of the current work area in a later portion of the project. In all, the two-phase effort will demolish and replace 8 mi. of I-59 northbound.
In preparation for the work, the contractor made repairs and improvements to the southbound portion of the interstate and removed the most deteriorated concrete slabs from that side of the roadway in advance of the closure of northbound I-59. In addition, Wiregrass crews rehabilitated many of the underlying concrete slabs for future use.
The project is scheduled for completion in late 2026, according to ALDOT.
Among the closures within the work zone are the north-
bound on- and off-ramps at I-59’s Exit 239/Dekalb County Road 140 at Sulphur Springs.
In late 2020, ALDOT began reconstructing parts of the freeway in DeKalb County and northern Etowah County due to its age and the deterioration of the original concrete roadway.
The current project is the fourth one started on the interstate in this area in four years. In total, the state transportation agency noted the cost of the I-59 rehabilitation has been approximately $150 million.
Interstate 59 northbound drivers may encounter another traffic shift between Fort Payne and Hammondville, according to ALDOT.
A.G. Peltz Group, a paving contractor from Ironton, Ala., opened the northern part of its $40.8 million, 8-mi. project to traffic in July, before beginning work on replacing the southern section of I-59 in August.
Redstone Arsenal Averages $120M in Construction Per Year
• A recreation park is currently being built at the corner of Patton and Gray roads. By November, the approximately $800,000 project will include a pavilion, two pickleball courts, a basketball court and a large parking area.
• Repaving a portion of the Von Braun Complex parking lot.
• A new operations facility for the Space Development Agency.
• Installing electric vehicle chargers throughout the federal complex.
• Assistance by the DPW’s construction branch in the project management of the Food, Beverage, and Entertainment Center, which will be north of the military base’s commissary. It is estimated to be finished in July 2025.
• A $14 million phased construction of an industrial waterline that Leatherman described as being a replacement of the Redstone Arsenal’s old industrial watermain, which has long served as “the backbone of the installa-
tion’s water distribution system.”
Two road paving projects also are planned for the next two-and-a-half months at Redstone: one on the north end of the installation and another off Redstone Road, the Rocket noted.
Leatherman explained that, currently, West Line Road is getting new asphalt, and beginning at the end of September, Goss Road will be paved between the Links golf course and Redstone’s Gate 8.
“Some of the side streets going into the housing area will have some effects,” he said earlier this summer at the Redstone Town Hall.
“We just ask that everyone pay attention when you’re driving through that area.”
Both paving projects should be completed by Thanksgiving, Leatherman noted.
Garrison Commander Col. Brian Cozine told the Rocket that the new recreational area at the arsenal is among several Resilient Energy Funding for Readiness and Modernization (REFORM) projects on
the post.
Under the program, the Army recognizes validated energy cost savings based on reduced energy consumption, then shares that savings 50-50 with the installations that generated those savings.
“Redstone construction is the lifeblood of how Redstone accomplishes its Army missions and goals,” noted Rickey Hammond, the DPW’s engineering division chief.
Long History of Big Achievements
The U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal installation, on the south side of Huntsville, in Madison County, encompasses 7.8 sq. mi. and includes a wetland area serviced by the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. The base hosts a variety of tenant commands, including the FBI and the NASA-operated Marshall Space Flight Center.
The original Redstone facility combined two adjoining arsenals into one post in 1941 to
make conventional ammunition and toxic chemicals during World War II. Seven years later, Redstone was designated as the home of Army missiles, but its peak employment of more than 19,000 workers during the war dropped considerably during peace time to the point that it became a little used post with only a few hundred people working there.
However, because of the base’s massive available space, empty buildings, and ease of access to rail, highway, and water traffic — via the Tennessee River — the Army chose Redstone as the place to consolidate its newly formed rocket program. In gained worldwide fame in the 1960s when NASA’s Saturn launch systems for the Apollo program, including the rockets that put humans on the moon from 1969 to 1972, were developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
Today, the Redstone Arsenal continues to be the birthplace of many different missile and rocket programs. About 75 federal agencies also work within the Alabama facility.
ALDOT photo
Crews repairing the roadway on SR-41 after the landslide.
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ALDOT’s Northern Beltline Will Connect U.S. 31, SR 75
will go toward constructing a four-lane, 10-mi. segment of the Northern Beltline that will connect U.S. Highway 31 near Gardendale to State Route 75 near Pinson. Construction of this 10-mi. segment is expected to be completed in 2028. Construction of the portion of the beltline that connects State Route 79 to State Route 75 is expected to be completed in 2026. The entire 52 mi. is scheduled to be finished by 2054.
Traffic will not be affected during construction, and Leonard said response to the project has been positive.
“The Northern Beltline enjoys wide-ranging support from local citizens, first responders, elected officials, economic developers and business leaders,” Leonard said. “Three counties, 45 cities and numerous businesses throughout the region support it. People are enthusiastic about the opportunities it will bring to the area.
“The Northern Beltline is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System [ADHS]. This gives the Northern Beltline unique status because it comes with eligibility for funding that can be used only to complete highways in the ADHS. As Alabama’s only significant highway in the ADHS, the funds that Alabama receives from the ADHS for the Northern Beltline can be spent only on the Northern Beltline.”
It’s expected there will be approximately 15,000 cu. yds. of excavation on the project. Gary Smith, ALDOT assistant region engineer, said that while substantial grading and drainage structures have already been completed, plenty of work remains.
“Getting the base to final grade so that pavement can begin is a milestone,” he said. “Completion of the bridge and completion of the pavement will also be significant.”
Smith said creating a four-lane highway spanning nearly 2 mi. is no small undertaking.
“The base beneath the pavement must be graded to its
final elevation,” he said. “Concrete pavement will be applied to the top of that surface. Four bridges will also be constructed within the project, so that four lanes of traffic can travel from AL 79 to AL 75.”
McInnis Construction of Summerdale, Ala., serves as the prime contractor on the project and is responsible for all aspects of construction and field engineering. According to McInnis Project Manager Keith Burnett, the main concern for crews has involved geology and topography.
“This region is known for karst geology,” he said. “We are experiencing the challenges associated with that. One pile may refuse at 30 feet and another at more than 160. This creates the need for multiple splices, which hinders production.”
Burnett said installation of erosion control and construction signage has been completed, as well as clearing. Exploratory drilling has been performed at drilled shaft locations. Currently, footing excavation, pile driving and drilled shaft excavation is taking place.
Regarding the assembly of steel reinforcement, “It’s a stepped process that begins with ordering the correct number and length of pieces with the required bends,” said Burnett. “Once you have the pieces on hand, you tie those together in accordance with the plan details. We utilize racks for holding the steel in place.”
There are both drilled shaft and pile deep foundations on the project.
“The drilled shafts require a rock socket, typically 1.5
diameter, at the bottom of shaft. The shafts are augured down to top of rock and then must be core drilled from top of rock to bottom of rock socket. Solid rock must be present for a minimum of 10 feet below bottom of shaft. This verification of rock is determined by drilling probe holes below bottom of shaft. Piling is driven to a refusal criteria.”
Construction of the four bridges is both methodical and time-consuming.
“Bridge building starts with deep foundations and footings, then proceeds with columns, caps, girders and decks. We began work in June of 2024 and anticipate an early completion date in the fall of 2026. This is weather dependent and could push out into 2027.”
He said the elements have to be closely monitored.
“There are temperature and seasonal limitations on several items such as asphalt, concrete and traffic stripe. These items must be scheduled to adhere to these requirements. Rain is a factor for most construction activities. Not only can rain impact progress during rain events, depending on the amount received, it could take days to recover.”
The job site features a variety of heavy machinery. Cranes must be used to drive pile, erect girders and lift materials for elevated construction. Excavators are required for footing excavation, powering the augers and core bits for drilled shafts. Dozers, forklifts and loaders are needed for material handling and providing access, while manlifts will perform elevated work, and diesel hammers will be used to drive pile. Graders and concrete paving equipment also will be necessary to complete the work. Concrete and steel are the main materials.
While it’s early in the process, Burnett is looking forward to what lies ahead.
“It’s very exciting. We are proud to be a part of something that is this big for the Birmingham area. It’s also nice to be working on a new roadway/bridge project, because it provides work room and minimizes the risk of working adjacent to live traffic.
“Building bridges is what McInnis has done for over 60 years. The bridges on this project are pretty standard in terms of footing type, substructure and superstructure. The roadway will be constructed with concrete paving. This is somewhat uncommon in Alabama, but we have an experienced subcontractor that performs concrete paving here and numerous other states.”
Smith added, “This project is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of the employees working on it. We rarely construct a new route, especially one that will become an interstate route for many generations to use in the future.”
CEG
ALDOT
ALDOT photo
It’s expected there will be approximately 15,000 cu. yds. of excavation on the project.
ALDOT photo
Nearly a decade since work was halted due to a lack of funds, construction crews in Birmingham, Ala., are resuming work on the Northern Beltline.
Clayton McInnis photo
Cranes must be used to drive pile, erect girders and lift materials for elevated construction.
