The final segment of work required connecting Corridor X, soon to be known as I-22, with I-65 in Birmingham, Alabama, presented unseen challenges. The Corridor X interchange begins northwest of I-65 and extends southeast of I-65 to U.S. 31. The interchange is complex geometrically, with four levels and nearly 20 bridges, and traffic is busy on I-65, requiring extra lanes. Finally, the environmental factors are sensitive and several utility lines run through the area, including an existing concrete drainage system that must shoulder the weight of the new traffic lanes.
The finished interchange construction project will complete Alabama’s 96-mile portion of the Birmingham-to-Memphis Interstate 22, and connect it to I-65. “Construction of the interchange is the largest and most expensive project the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has awarded in more than 40 years,” says ALDOT spokesperson Tony Harris.
Construction began in August 2010, and is now nearing completion in November 2015, according to reports from Gary Smith, construction engineer with the Alabama Department of Transportation.
As with all projects of this magnitude, there are challenges that arose along the path to completion—some of which lie below the surface. In the case of Corridor X, one such challenge was addressed with a resourceful approach.
Contracted to Atlanta, Georgia-based Archer Western, much of the initial work required blasting, drilling and hauling away rock, before construction could begin. According to Michael Chance, one of two Archer Western civil superintendents on the job, the crew performed a mass excavation of dirt and rock required to extend the six-lane highway to eight lanes—four in each direction.
“The big trial for the crew was the amount of rock; this includes drilling and blasting 1.9 million yards of material that also have to be moved on site,” Chance says. “It was challenging to coordinate trucks and operations to keep production on track.” Still, he and his team forged ahead with a good measure of excavation ingenuity, unearthing and realigning the groundwork phase by phase.
Chance was in charge of all grading and underground utilities, including storm sewers, water lines, guard rails, and proper signage. Archer Western also had two bridge superintendents and a senior superintendent overseeing the work. Upon completion, the four-level interchange will measure 85 feet tall and span 1.5 miles long, including 18 bridges and five ramps.
