The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is planning for a new bridge off Interstate 359 and Skyland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa.
ALDOT is calling it the ‘flyover’ bridge because once it’s completed, it will begin at 359, cross over Skyland Boulevard, and end about a mile away at Plantation Road on Highway 69 South.
“It is a serious bridge. It’s something that’s needed. We have 56,000 vehicles that use this corridor per day,” said ALDOT west Alabama spokesman John McWilliams.
An 11% increase since 2016, according to McWilliams. Once the bridge is completed, drivers will no longer have to come to a stop in either direction at 359 and Skyland.
“You’ll fly over U.S. 11 or Skyland Boulevard. You’ll no longer have to come to a stop at that intersection. As of now when you stop, traffic will back up,” said McWilliams.
The total cost including the preliminary work will be $89 million. McWilliams says the project will be by far the largest in Tuscaloosa in 2024.
“This will be a joint effort between the Tuscaloosa Road Improvement Commission and ALDOT,” said McWilliams.
But before they begin moving dirt, some preparatory work needs to be done. About 100 feet of Oscar Baxter Road will be closed for about a month starting Wednesday, Jan. 3, to handle utility work.
McWilliams anticipates contractors to begin building the flyover bridge this summer. He says once they get started this summer, the job will take about three years.
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Source: MSN.com
