Yellowhammer Times

Drivers on I-65 in Priceville should prepare for delays as repair work begins on a damaged bridge. Starting from 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, the outside southbound lane and shoulder at Upper River Road will be closed. Crews will work continuously to fix the Upper River Road overpass bridge. The southbound road will be limited to a single, 10-foot lane, and oversize loads are advised to find alternate routes.

Upper River Road will also close at the bridge starting at 9 a.m. on June 26. After repairs, all lanes of I-65 will reopen, but the bridge closure will remain for several weeks for further modifications.

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) suggests drivers plan extra travel time or use alternative routes. Message boards will guide passenger vehicles to detour via US-31 through SR-20 in Limestone County. Traffic signals on US-31 in Decatur will be adjusted to improve traffic flow.

The bridge girders were damaged on April 29 by equipment improperly loaded on a trailer. Although only one girder was severely damaged and poses no immediate danger, repairs are needed before raising the bridge.

ALDOT had previously awarded a resurfacing contract for I-65 in Morgan County to Rogers Group, which included raising the bridge. The contract has been amended to include additional repairs with a $358,185 supplement, bringing the total contract amount to $16.5 million.

Resurfacing work is set to begin tonight and continue into late 2026, weather permitting. Lane closures are expected from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday nights through Thursday nights/Friday mornings. The project covers a stretch from Hurricane Creek in Cullman County to about a mile south of Exit 340 at I-565 and includes raising the Parker Road bridge over I-65.

For real-time traffic updates and road conditions, visit ALGOtraffic.com or download the ALGO Traffic app.

Information from this article can be found here.