Part of I-59N in DeKalb County opened to traffic after reconstruction

HAMMONDVILLE — A four-mile segment of the reconstructed northbound I-59 roadway near the Georgia state line opened to traffic, the Alabama Department of Transportation announced. The opening marks the halfway point for a $41 million project to reconstruct part of I-59 in DeKalb County.

The roadway opening between mileposts 237 and 241 included reopening the northbound on- and off-ramps of Exit 239 at Sulphur Springs Road.

Second phase to come

The contractor, Wiregrass Construction, will next prepare to remove and replace another four miles of the northbound roadway. The second phase of the project will run from about milepost 233, north of Hammondville, to about milepost 237, immediately south of the recently reconstructed segment.

The northbound roadway will close for demolition and reconstruction. Northbound traffic will be diverted to the inside lane of the southbound roadway and separated from southbound traffic by barriers.

The total project will reconstruct more than eight miles of the northbound roadway between Hammondville and the state line. ALDOT anticipates completion in late 2026.

I-59 reconstruction projects

Age and deterioration of the underlying concrete roadways led ALDOT to undertake much of I-59 in DeKalb and Etowah counties. The effort is ongoing, with future projects planned in addition to two current projects. ALDOT has awarded nearly $192 million in contracts to reconstruct I-59 so far.

Contractor Vulcan Materials is working to reconstruct nearly 11 miles of the southbound roadway in DeKalb and Etowah counties. ALDOT anticipates 2027 completion of that segment, between Collinsville and Reece City, at a cost of $40.7 million.

ALDOT previously completed three reconstruction projects on the corridor:

• In 2022, Wiregrass finished replacing eight miles of the northbound roadway through Fort Payne at a cost of $25.2 million.
• The following year, Wiregrass completed reconstruction of eleven miles northbound between Reece City and Collinsville at cost of $44 million.
• This year, contractor A.G. Peltz Group completed replacement of an eight-mile segment between Fort Payne and Hammondville at a cost of $40.8 million.