U.S. Sen. Katie Britt joined local leaders Wednesday at the Birmingham Northern Beltline site to review progress on the expressway’s construction.
“The Birmingham Northern Beltline is a crucial project not just for local communities but for our state and for the entire region,” Britt said. “This is exactly the kind of work I came and asked you all to let me do in Washington, D.C. It’s also how I believe that federal transportation and infrastructure dollars should be spent – strategically and in a way that drives growth for local communities.”
The first segment of the Northern Beltline will complete the connection between State Routes 75 and 79 in Pinson and is expected to open to traffic in 2026. Future segments will connect the first segment to I-65 near Gardendale and I-59 north of Trussville.
Once completed, the Northern Beltline will be a 52-mile interstate – Interstate 422 – extending from I-59 in northeast Jefferson County to the I-459 interchange near Bessemer. This “northern loop” will help foster economic development, divert traffic around Birmingham and provide first responders with quicker access to communities.
By helping to better connect communities, Fultondale Fire Chief Justin McKenzie noted the Birmingham Northern Beltline will be a big help during emergencies.
“It’s going to boost our economy, create jobs and strengthen our infrastructure. But I tell you, speaking as a first responder and as fire chief, what excites me most about the Northern Beltline is not just what it will do for our economy but what it will do for public safety. It will save lives,” McKenzie said.
Alabama’s congressional delegation secured $525 million in federal funding, which will complete the first 10-mile segment of the Northern Beltline that will connect State Route 75 near Palmerdale to U.S. Highway 31 near Gardendale.
A report by the Appalachian Regional Commission said the Northern Beltline “can help reduce isolation for parts of Northern Jefferson County, as well as reduce regional road congestion and enable economic growth.”
