Road work on Interstate 20/59 won't affect University of Alabama football traffic

A four-month road project on Interstate 20/59 in Tuscaloosa County won't result in lane closures during University of Alabama home football game weekends.

More: August's awesome first weekend in Tuscaloosa: Football, concerts and graduations

The Alabama Department of Transportation said the nighttime pavement preservation project will begin this Sunday night and end sometime in November, weather permitting.

Traffic moves just north of Exit 77 on interstate 20/59 in Tuscaloosa in this April 20, 2018, file photo.
Traffic moves just north of Exit 77 on interstate 20/59 in Tuscaloosa in this April 20, 2018, file photo.

The $3.3 million project will start at Exit 77 and continue to near milepost 81, covering about 4 miles on the interstate. In a news release, ALDOT says the project will take less time than a traditional full resurfacing project and will extend the lifespan of the pavement.

The contractor, Midsouth Paving, will only be allowed to close lanes between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. in an effort to minimize the impact on day-to-day traffic. Motorists should expect possible delays and are encouraged to observe work-zone speed limits, ALDOT said.

On UA home football game weekends, all lanes will be open Friday afternoon through Sunday morning. Thousands of fans from Birmingham and other cities use I-20/59 to travel to and from Alabama football games.

UA has seven home games on its 2023 schedule:

  • Sept. 2 vs. Middle Tennessee State

  • Sept. 9 vs. Texas

  • Sept. 23 vs. Ole Miss

  • Oct. 14 vs. Arkansas (Homecoming)

  • Oct. 21 vs. Tennessee

  • Nov. 4 vs. LSU

  • Nov. 21 vs. Chattanooga

In July, UA said that four of those games ― Texas, Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU ― had already sold out of tickets. Bryant-Denny Stadium on the UA campus has a seating capacity of 100,077.

Reach Ken Roberts at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Interstate 20/59 work won't close lanes for Alabama football games