Motorists traveling on Interstate 65 should prepare for an overnight closure of the northbound lanes near Lacon as the Alabama Department of Transportation conducts repairs to a bridge over the CSX railroad.
Weather permitting, ALDOT plans to close I-65 northbound at Exit 318 beginning around 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. The closure will allow crews to repair the deck of the northbound bridge spanning the railroad tracks.
All northbound traffic will be detoured to U.S. 31 while work is underway. The closure is expected to continue into Wednesday, June 3, though the exact duration will depend on the amount of time crews are able to work above the railroad.
According to ALDOT, repair crews can perform work only when train traffic is not using the tracks below.
To accommodate the detour, ALDOT will temporarily reopen the northbound portion of U.S. 31 that is currently closed for concrete slab replacement about one mile north of Interstate 65.
Southbound U.S. 31 between Lacon Road/Old Highway 31 and Interstate 65 will remain closed.
A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of U.S. 31 and the northbound I-65 off-ramp to help manage traffic flow.
Passenger vehicles traveling north can use Thompson Road in Hartselle to reconnect with Interstate 65.
Commercial vehicles will be required to continue north on U.S. 31 to Alabama 67 in Decatur before returning to I-65 in Priceville.
Wide-load vehicles must detour at Exit 310 in Cullman and follow Alabama 157 north to Alabama 24 east in Moulton, then continue on Alabama 67 north to Alabama 20 east in Decatur.
ALDOT said message boards and detour signs will be in place to guide motorists, and state troopers will assist with traffic control during the closure.
The bridge repair comes as ALDOT continues planning for a larger project to replace the Interstate 65 bridges over the CSX railroad as well as the nearby Flint Creek bridges immediately south of the tracks. Design work is currently underway, with the department anticipating the project could be let for construction in late fiscal year 2027.
Motorists can find real-time traffic and road condition updates through ALDOT’s ALGO Traffic system and mobile app.
