Stakeholders of the Birmingham Northern Beltline spoke at a public meeting on Tuesday imploring the Alabama Department of Transportation to proceed with the next phase of construction.
Upon completion, the 10-mile four-lane highway will connect U.S. Highway 31 near Gardendale to State Route 79 near Pinson.
Local first responders, some of the most vocal supporters of the Beltline, emphasized the importance of the new roadway to cut down emergency response times.
Fultondale Fire Chief Justin McKenzie spoke on behalf of the North Jefferson County Association of Fire Departments.
“We are highly supportive of this,” said McKenzie. “It’s crucial that we get response times down. Getting to emergencies, getting to medical emergencies, traffic accidents, things like that have become very hard with the increased population.”
“With this Northern Beltline, it will help us cut response times down.”
Jon Lord, President of the Jefferson County Association of Fire Departments, explained that each second is critical in an emergency situation.
“We are very supportive of this because the transport times from one location to another make a huge difference,” Lord said. “Saving lives is a matter of seconds, so certainly 10 minutes will make a huge difference.”
“This project will very literally save people’s lives, probably a large number of lives,” said Palmerdale Fire District Chief Jason Howell. “It will improve response times and help firefighters, law enforcement and emergency medical personnel get to people in need much more quickly. The Northern Beltline will enable us to get people to UAB’s Freestanding ER in Gardendale in 10 minutes instead of 30.”
“Every minute counts in an emergency and can mean the difference between life and death.”
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Janet Kavinoky, Chair of the Coalition for Regional Transportation, noted the potential for economic progress in the area as a result of the new highway.
“When I-459 was completed 40 years ago, it stimulated economic growth, created jobs and brought new developments. The same will happen with construction of the Northern Beltline.”
Congressman Gary Palmer, who represents the area, was also in attendance.
“I think it’s extremely important that we build this roadway and that we do it in a way that we preserve our quality of life,” said Palmer. “I don’t mean just our economic viability but the beauty, the natural beauty that we have in this area.”
“I know this is not incompatible — to have excellent infrastructure, excellent economic opportunity and still maintain a high quality of life, and that includes our ability to enjoy the outdoors.”
Over 40 municipalities, three counties, and numerous businesses have formally backed the Northern Beltline
Alabama’s congressional delegation secured $519 million in federal funding to complete the 10-mile segment to U.S. Highway 31, a crucial part of the overall 52-mile interstate project.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
