Alabama 9 April 29, 2026

In an effort to ease congestion, construction crews in Jefferson County are redesigning Morgan Road so it directly ties in with Lakeshore Parkway at SR-150 in Bessemer. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is overseeing the $19 million extension.

“This project is needed because rapid commercial, industrial and residential growth in the area has increased traffic beyond what the current road system can handle,” ALDOT Birmingham-area transportation engineer Jonathan Johnson told Construction Equipment Guide. “The mixture of heavy industrial traffic and everyday residential use is creating conflicts that reduce safety and efficiency along Morgan Road and Lakeshore Parkway. Existing two-lane sections and outdated alignments are no longer sufficient for the volume and type of traffic using these routes.

“By realigning and widening Morgan Road and improving its connection to SR-150, the project will reduce congestion and improve overall traffic flow. Acting now helps address current operational issues before they worsen as development and traffic demand continue to grow.”

According to ALDOT, the two heavily traveled corridors will now connect just southeast of the Starlight Baptist Church along the highway.

The upgrades should improve accessibility for industrial campuses nearby, including Lowes Home Improvement’s new 1.2 million-sq.-ft. distribution facility.

Roughly 14,000 vehicles travel on Lakeshore Parkway and Morgan Road each day. Traffic is busiest in the morning and afternoon peak times.

Mobile County’s Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project Now Under Way

Earlier this year, the Mobile County Commission approved a grant amendment with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and awarded a construction contract to advance the Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project along Mobile Bay.

The grant amendment provided additional funding through NFWF’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund to restore and

protect marsh shoreline on the western shore of Mobile Bay. The new total grant award is $15,700,000, and no local match is required from Mobile County.

Commissioners also awarded a $7,480,001 construction and dredging contract to Viking Dredge LLC. All construction costs will be reimbursed through the NFWF grant.

Construction Begins On Calhoun’s New Student Union

Construction has begun on Calhoun Community College’s new $17 million student union, according to reporting from AL.com. The city of Decatur has issued a building permit for the two story, 29,800 sq. ft. facility on the school’s U.S. 31 campus.

AL.com reports the project is the most expensive to launch in the Huntsville area since March 6. Since then, 11 projects valued at more than $1 million have received permits across the region. A total of 372 permits have been issued in Madison, Limestone and Morgan counties with a combined value of $128.5 million.

Lee Builders of Huntsville is leading construction of the student union. The company’s recent projects include the $28 million renovation of Joe Davis Stadium; ongoing work on the $70 million Champman and STEM Magnet Middle School; and the $13 million Ditto Landing event center.

According to Calhoun, the new student union is designed as a multifunctional hub that supports student life through dining areas, recreation spaces, meeting rooms and quiet study zones. It will also feature the campus’s first commer cial kitchen, which expands dining services and may support future culinary programs.

The building incorporates both contemporary and tradi tional design elements. A two story glass atrium will serve as the main entrance and central lobby. Outdoor areas with seat walls, canopies, planters and flexible gathering spaces are intended for year round use.

The first floor will include 17,475 sq. ft. of active space, such as a social lobby, reception area, coffee shop, bookstore and a large student common area that connects to the dining

area and kitchen. The second floor will contain 12,330 sq. ft. of quieter spaces, including a library, study pods, a computer training area, staff offices and a flexible meeting room. Goodwyn Mills Cawood provided architecture, civil and

geotechnical engineering and landscape architecture services. Other firms involved include Jackson Renfro & Associates, MW/Davis Dumas & Associates, Slaton Designworks, Tucker Jones Engineers and Camacho Associates. 

Shoreline Restoration Project Covers 30 Acres of Marsh

SHORELINE from page 1

The Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project will restore approximately 30 acres of marsh and help stabilize a portion of the western Mobile Bay shoreline that has experienced decades of erosion. Healthy marsh habitat supports fisheries, wildlife and the working waterfront, while serving as a natural buffer against everyday wave action and coastal storms.

“These are oil spill settlement dollars being put back where they belong to restore and protect Mobile Bay,” said Mobile County District 3 Commissioner Randall Dueitt. “Anyone who spends time on this water knows a healthy marsh is a foundation of our ecosystem, and this investment will help ensure Mobile Bay remains productive for generations to come.”

Construction began in mid-April 2026 and will take approximately 10 months to complete. Boaters should be aware that access channels and submerged equipment will be present in the area during construction.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund was established with Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds to restore Gulf Coast ecosystems and ensure those penalty dollars are used to rebuild natural resources, through projects like the Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project. 

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Chilton Contracting Serves as GC On ALDOT Project

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“Traffic is currently affected by construction of utility relocations along Morgan Road,” said Johnson. “Traffic is slowed by construction activities near the edge of pavement. Occasionally, single lane closures will be required. Construction vehicles entering the roadway can cause minor delays as well.”

Work began in December 2025 and is expected to be finished by the end of next year. Construction is reportedly going well, with no significant delays.

Chilton Contracting LLC serves as contractor on the project, which should make a noticeable difference in dayto-day driving.

“Right now, traffic backs up along Morgan Road due to heavy congestion, but the new connection is expected to reduce those delays and improve travel times,” said Johnson. “By improving the intersection and overall road layout, it will allow traffic to move more smoothly and cut down on frustrating stop-and-go driving. It should also make driving safer by reducing conflict points between vehicles, especially where industrial and local traffic mix. Overall, people can expect a quicker, safer and more efficient trip through the area once the project is complete.”

In the existing roadway configuration, the intersection of Lakeshore Parkway and SR-150 is offset from the intersection of Morgan Road and SR-150 by approximately 0.4 mi.

“This project realigns Morgan Road and Lakeshore Parkway to form a single intersection with SR-150,” said Johnson. “This requires changing the alignment of approximately a half mile of Lakeshore Parkway and changing the alignment of approximately 0.8 miles of Morgan Road.”

Johnson explained that workers are widening SR 150 from Morgan Road to Shannon Road by first clearing land and relocating utilities such as water lines, power poles and drainage systems. They then grade the area by cutting and filling the ground to create a stable base with proper drainage.

“Next, they build the road in layers by adding a stone base and paving new lanes, while also widening bridges and improving intersections. Throughout the process, traffic is shifted in phases, and the project finishes with final paving, striping, guardrails and signals.”

The portion of SR-150 that will result in a new intersection with Lakeshore Parkway and Morgan Road is currently

and left turn lane onto Morgan Road and a right turn lane onto Morgan Road.

Clearing and grubbing of trees and undergrowth have already been completed. The contractor is currently stripping and stockpiling topsoil. Unclassified excavation and installation of drainage structures also have begun.

Three house structures have already been demolished. With the exception of some minor utility conflicts, there have not been any unexpected issues so far. The project is in its early stages, with grading, drainage, paving and traffic signal work remaining.

Johnson noted there are approximately 185,000 cu. yds. of unclassified excavation, muck excavation and borrow excavation expected for this project.

Drainage involves installation concrete storm sewer pipes, building cast-in-place concrete inlets and pouring cast-inplace concrete box culverts.

In addition, pavement construction will involve placement of asphalt in layers for the required roadway buildup. Signal construction requires installing new traffic signal poles and

hoes, dozers and dump trucks. Materials used on the project at this point are unclassified dirt, rip rap and concrete.

Johnson said in the Birmingham area, rain is the most common weather that affects construction.

“If a lot of rain falls on the project site, the site can become too muddy to perform work. In the winter, cold temperatures, snow or ice can cause delays as well.

Although a great deal of work remains, crews are focused on the big picture.

“Working on a project like this means being part of something that’s going to matter long after the job is done,” said Johnson. “It’s knowing that every lane, every turn and every decision you help make will be used by people every single day for years to come.

“There’s a real sense of pride in building something that makes life easier and safer for your community, especially for folks who drive those roads daily. It’s not just construction — it’s leaving behind something solid that people can count on. At the end of the day, it’s work you can point to and say, “I helped make that better.”  CEG