The next section of the ongoing reconstruction of Interstate 59 in Alabama near the Georgia border begins this week with the shifting of northbound traffic to the southbound side, creating potential congestion for travelers heading to and from the Chattanooga area.

Contractor AG Peltz Group of Irondale, Alabama, plans to shift all traffic to the southbound roadway by Friday — creating one lane in each direction — according to the Alabama Department of Transportation. Peltz must first complete the markings and concrete barriers to create lanes for the new pattern, which awaits motorists about 15 miles south of Trenton.

Peltz’s $40.8 million project calls for rebuilding 8 miles of northbound I-59, transportation authority spokesman Seth Burkett said in a phone interview. Workers will remove and replace the entire northbound lane from about mile 229, north of Exit 224 for 49th Street in Fort Payne, to mile 229, south of Exit 231 in Hammondville.

Work on the Georgia end of I-59 is now beginning under separate contracts.

“There were two projects that were awarded one after the other,” Burkett said.

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The Peltz project will generally be done concurrently with work on a separate $41 million contract with Dothan, Alabama-based Wiregrass Construction. Wiregrass will pave an additional 8 miles of northbound I-59, the agency said in a news release. Wiregrass will repair the southbound lanes and build crosswalks to accommodate the shift of northbound traffic in early fall.

Alabama Department of Transportation contract crews shown here complete paving work to widen the southbound lane to accommodate two-lane traffic during the reconstruction of northbound Interstate 59.

This section, which extends north of Hammondville to the Georgia state border, is scheduled to be completed in late 2026, the press release states. The total cost of both projects is approximately $82 million.

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As part of the already completed reconstruction work, new concrete roadways were opened in July between mileposts 229 and 234. This is the first phase of the ongoing project, which will begin in 2022 and will also be carried out by Wiregrass, the press release said.

Since the project began, it has been somewhat disjointed because roads were replaced first where they were most needed, Burkett said. The two new sections will now connect some of those sections together.

Nearly 20 miles of northbound I-59 in DeKalb County and northern Etowah County have been rebuilt in the past two years, Burkett said. To date, the state’s reconstruction investment in the corridor north of Gadsden exceeds $150 million for four projects.

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The reconstruction of I-59 is due to its age and the characteristics of its aging original pavement.

“The problem with I-59 was that it was originally built as a concrete pavement,” Burkett said. “For years, we overlaid the concrete with asphalt. Concrete pavements last a very long time. They’re extremely durable, but when the slabs shift, they get damaged around the edges.”

Vehicles driving over I-59’s old concrete slabs experience a bumpy ride where they settle, he said. Concrete rehabilitation of I-59 will continue throughout the reconstruction work to make the old road surface smoother until the reconstruction work is completed.

“All projects required preparatory work to prepare the road for the new traffic pattern during construction,” he said.

Signs show drivers the direction when changing lanes and taking detours.

Alabama state troopers will be on patrol monitoring drivers’ speeds and urging them to watch for construction in the work zone, according to Brandon Bailey, spokesman for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Alabama Department of Transportation / Crosswalks have been constructed to divert traffic to and from southbound Interstate 59. This crosswalk will return traffic to the northbound lane at the southern end of a recently completed concrete section.

“We want to remind the public that any time you see orange cones or workers on the road, that is a sure sign that you are approaching a construction site,” Bailey said in a phone interview.

Drivers should pay attention to changes in speed limits in construction zones and be aware of the safe distance to vehicles ahead, Bailey said. Drivers can double the speed limit in construction zones to determine the safe distance in feet.

“If the speed is 35 miles per hour, you should keep 70 feet away and so on,” Bailey said.

He said merging situations in work zones could also be a problem.

“Don’t try to merge at the last minute,” he said. “Be considerate and merge when you can.”

Further reconstruction work is taking place on the other side of I-59.

“We expect to be able to approve another project this fall as the first start of construction for the southbound road reconstruction,” Burkett said. “This first southbound project will likely bring the amount to $200 million for five projects as part of the reconstruction.”

The focus of the reconstruction project will shift to the south side of I-59 over the next few months as new contracts are awarded.

“We’ll probably put out the bid for about 11 miles of southbound I-59 toward the end of the year,” Burkett said. “That will be in Etowah and DeKalb counties. The project will probably cost about $50 million, and work could begin in spring 2025.”

The long-term vision for future projects on I-59 includes further reconstruction between DeKalb County and Birmingham.

“We will proceed with the reconstruction of this corridor as soon as the necessary funds become available,” he said.

Contact Ben Benton at [email protected] or 423-757-6569.