I-59 reconstruction in Etowah and DeKalb counties to continue into 2027

GADSDEN — Drivers who use Interstate 59 north of Gadsden should plan for months more of construction. The Alabama Department of Transportation’s roughly $40.7 million rebuild of southbound I-59 in Etowah and DeKalb counties is expected to continue into 2027.

The project is reconstructing more than 10 miles of aging southbound pavement between Collinsville and Reece City. During the work, traffic in both directions is being routed onto the northbound side of the interstate, separated by concrete barriers. The contractor, Vulcan Materials, is tearing out the old roadway and rebuilding it from the ground up — improving the subgrade, laying a new crushed-aggregate base and paving several layers of asphalt.

ALDOT reached a milestone July 17, when the first reconstructed southbound segment reopened to traffic. Crews are continuing on additional stretches, so lane patterns and the two-way split on the northbound side will remain in place for a while.

The reconstruction is part of a larger, yearslong effort. ALDOT says it has awarded more than $239 million in contracts since 2020 to rebuild and rehabilitate I-59 in northeast Alabama.

For drivers, the practical advice is simple: slow down in the work zone, watch for shifting lanes and barriers, and allow extra time, especially during busy travel periods. Real-time lane and closure information is available through ALDOT’s ALGO Traffic app and website. GadsdenThrive will report major lane changes as ALDOT announces them.