Yellowhammer Times

After continuous work since Saturday night, contractors have completed repairs on the Upper River Road bridge over I-65, finishing about 14 hours ahead of schedule. The damage occurred on April 29 when a piece of equipment, improperly loaded on a trailer, struck the bridge's girders. All lanes of I-65 are now open.

The repair involved several steps: raising the bridge slightly, repairing steel rebar within the girder, preparing the old concrete surface, constructing wooden forms, and pouring new concrete. While the north outside girder's concrete cured, minor repairs were made to the other five girders.

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) negotiated for these repairs as part of a $358,185 supplement to an existing $16.1 million contract with Rogers Group for resurfacing I-65 in Morgan County. This project also includes raising both the Upper River Road and Parker Road bridges to improve clearances.

ALDOT expressed gratitude to the public for their patience during these necessary repairs. The bridge will remain closed to Upper River Road traffic throughout July as it is raised by 13 inches and approaches are built up. Despite shoulder closures on I-65, ALDOT does not anticipate further daytime travel lane closures related to this work. Once completed, the total clearance will be 17 feet from the interstate, exceeding standard interstate overpass requirements by one foot.

Information from this article can be found here.