Alabama is building a $19 million shortcut to transform commutes between major interstates – al.com
Alabama is building a $19 million shortcut to transform commutes between major interstates
- Updated: Apr. 23, 2026, 7:00 p.m.
- |Published: Apr. 23, 2026, 12:49 p.m.
By Alaina Bookman | abookman@al.com
The Alabama Department of Transportation is working to tie-in Morgan Road with Lakeshore Parkway in a $19 million partnership with the city of Bessemer and Jefferson County.
The project will provide drivers with a straight shot between I-459’s Exit 6 and Lakeshore Parkway interchange with I-65 in Homewood. Construction is expected to last through the end of 2027.
“Not only is it going to improve traffic flow in the area, you won’t have to zigzag to get from Morgan Road to Lakeshore Parkway, but you’re also eliminating some of the chances for crashes,” Jon Paepcke, the Alabama Department of Transportation east-central region spokesperson, told AL.com.
The Alabama Department of Transportation said the project should improve traffic flow in the area which has a growing number of industrial centers including Lowe’s, Carvana, Dollar General and FedEx Ground.
Currently, the state road known as Highway 150 averages nearly 20,000 vehicles a day, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.
The project will widen Morgan Road south to Cumberland Road and SR-150 between Morgan and Shannon Roads.
The Alabama Department of Transportation will also replace the 93-year-old bridge over Little Shades Creek, east of Lakeshore Parkway, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The alignment will connect Morgan Road travelers to the upcoming Diverging Diamond Interchange on Lakeshore Parkway at I-65 in Homewood, which is also expected to open to traffic by the end of 2027.
“There’s a lot of moving parts in this project. It’s just not one widening project or one intersection alignment,” Paepcke said.