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.
ALDOT photo
"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 Existing two-lane sections and outdated alignments are no longer sufficient for the volume and type of traffic using these routes.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.
ALDOT photo
"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 day-to-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."
ALDOT photo
The portion of SR-150 that will result in a new intersection with Lakeshore Parkway and Morgan Road is currently a two-lane roadway. SR-150 will be widened on each side of the existing roadway to provide two travel lanes in each direction, with dual left turn lanes onto Lakeshore Parkway 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-in-place concrete box culverts.
ALDOT photo
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 signal heads at the new intersection of SR-150, Lakeshore Parkway and Morgan Road.
Heavy equipment being used on the project includes track 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
