Sen. Katie Britt and local leaders view progress on Northern Beltline construction
Sen. Katie Britt and several local leaders visited the Northern Beltline construction site Wednesday.
Sen. Britt was there to check in on the progress and said she'll continue to support the project in our nation's capitol.
"They are essential arteries that connect Alabamians to each other and open the doors for opportunity," Britt said. "I'm excited to see this coming together."
The Northern Beltline system will create a 52-mile interstate system that loops around Birmingham.
The project is currently in phase one which will connect state Route 75 to state Route 79 in the Palmerdale-Pinson area.
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Phase one's completion is projected for late 2026.
Phase two will expand the system to Highway 31 near Gardendale.
The mayor of Gardendale Stan Hogeland said the community will see the benefits of the new roadway.
"That 30 minute drive once the beltline is complete, will be a ten minute drive," Hogeland said. "So it's going to bring a lot of people our way, which which those those people will spend money in our city. The first responders will be able to get, you know, sick people, injured people to a hospital or in a year or in, in in ten minutes rather than 30 minutes. That can be the difference in, in life and death. So it's a big deal for, for everybody involved."
The plan is still under development, but once phase two begins, it's estimated that it will take five years for completion.
Developers hope the construction will not only make travel easier for residents in northern communities by connecting them to the highway system but also bring new developments.
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