3000 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 208 ● Washington, DC 20008 ● 202.466.6706 ● tripnet.org
For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Report available at: www.tripnet.org
Contact: Rocky Moretti 202-262-0714 (cell)
Carolyn Bonifas Kelly 703-801-9212 (cell)
TRIP Office 202-466-6706
NEW REPORT IDENTIFIES TOP TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED
TO SUPPORT ALABAMA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH, INCLUDING PROJECTS TO
ADDRESS DETERIORATED AND CONGESTED ROADWAYS, DEFICIENT BRIDGES,
NEEDED SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Birmingham, Alabama – A new report identifies Alabama’s 50 most needed transportation improvements to
address deficient, crowded or congested roads, highways and bridges throughout the state. The deteriorated and
congested conditions threaten to stifle economic growth and development in Alabama, according to a new report
released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation research organization.
The report, “The Top 50 Highway Projects to Support Economic Growth and Quality of Life in Alabama,”
identifies the transportation improvements most needed to support economic growth and quality of life in Alabama.
Of the top 20 projects identified in the report, seven are located in the Birmingham area. These improvements
include projects to build, expand or modernize the state’s network of highways and bridges. Making needed
transportation improvements would enhance economic development opportunities throughout the state by
increasing mobility and freight movement, easing congestion, improving safety, and making Alabama an attractive
place to live, visit and do business. A lack of adequate transportation funding is the constraining factor in
developing and delivering these needed improvements.
The 20 most needed transportation improvements to support economic growth in the state, as identified by
the TRIP report, are detailed below. Additional information about each project can be found in the report.
The needed highway projects identified in the TRIP report would require an investment of $4.6 billion to
complete. The needed projects include 10 widening projects on 63 miles of Alabama’s Interstate highway system.
Based on forecast traffic growth, approximately 630 miles of Alabama’s Interstate Highway System are currently
or will become congested and will need additional capacity to accommodate economic growth in the state.
“Birmingham serves as a crucial transportation hub in the Southeast, therefore we need to enhance our
infrastructure in order to be competitive and protect our future in economic development,” said Brian Hilson,
president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance. “The TRIP report outlines road projects that will spark
economic growth and ensure public safety.”
According to the TRIP report, 16 percent of Alabama’s major urban roads are in poor condition. Nine
percent of bridges are structurally deficient, meaning they have significant deterioration of the bridge deck,
supports or other major components. An additional 13 percent of the state’s bridges are functionally obsolete. These
bridges no longer meet modern design standards, often because of narrow lanes, inadequate clearances or poor
alignment.
Alabama’s overall traffic fatality rate of 1.31 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in 2013 is
significantly higher than the national average of 1.09. The fatality rate on Alabama’s rural non-Interstate roads was
2.11 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in 2013, approximately two-and-a-half times the 0.83 fatality
rate on all other roads and highways in the state.
Enhancing critical segments of Alabama’s transportation system will boost the state’s economy in the
short-term by creating jobs in construction and related fields. In the long-term these improvements will enhance
economic competitiveness and improve quality of life for the state’s residents and visitors by reducing travel delays
and transportation costs, improving access and mobility, improving safety, and stimulating sustained job growth.
Sustaining Alabama’s long-term economic growth and maintaining the state’s quality of life will require increased
investment in expanding the capacity of the state’s transportation system, which will enhance business productivity
and support short- and long-term job creation in the state.
“Investing in Alabama’s transportation system and addressing these challenges by improving the condition
and efficiency of the state’s roads and bridges will be an effective step in boosting the state’s economy, enhancing
quality of life and making Alabama an attractive place to live, work and visit,” said Will Wilkins, executive director
of TRIP.
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