| Interstate 422 | ||||
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| Corridor X-1 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ALDOT | ||||
| Length: | 50.08 mi[1] (80.60 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: | I-20/59/US-11/SR-5/I-459 south of Bessemer | |||
| SR-269 at Sylvan Springs US-78 at Adamsville I-65 at Morris US-31 at Morris SR-79 at Pinson SR-75 at Pinson |
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| North end: | I-59 near Argo | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System
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Corridor X-1 or the Birmingham Northern Beltline is the proposed 50.8-mile (81.8 km) by-pass route around Birmingham, Alabama through northern and western Jefferson County to be completed by 2025. Along with the existing I-459, the Northern Beltline would complete the bypass loop of central Birmingham for all interstate traffic.
Current plans for the route have it connecting at I-459's current southern terminus in Bessemer with I-59 at approximately mile marker 147 to the northeast of Trussville near Argo. Additional studies are underway to determine the economic feasibility to continue the route from its proposed northern terminus to I-20 in the Leeds/Moody area.
The route has been designated as the Appalachian Regional Commission, High Priority Corridor X-1, State Route 959 and Interstate 422.
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As early as the 1960s, the prospect of a complete beltway encircling Birmingham was envisioned. Although the proposal was initially dropped from the original Interstate Highway System, the completion of Birmingham's outer beltway has been speculated since the completion of I-459 in 1985. By 1989, the first federal and local funds were earmarked for a project to study the feasibility of constructing the route.
In September 1993 the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization made a $500,000 request from the Alabama Department of Transportation for preliminary engineering of the beltline. Through the continued efforts of representative Spencer Bachus, in June 1995, the project was designated by the Federal Highway Administration as part of the National Highway System. As a result of this designation, the beltline would be eligible for federal transportation dollars.
In 2000, the Northern Beltline was added to the area’s Transportation Plan, and in 2001, Senator Richard Shelby and Congressman Spencer Bachus secured $60 million to buy right-of-way and do preliminary engineering for the route. In 2003, Shelby secured an additional $2 million for the continued purchasing of right-of-way. Progress continues with the purchasing of additional right-of way through the county as of 2006. Right of Way for the short segment near Pinson between Alabama 75 and Alabama 79 has been completed but construction has yet to commence.
In May 2009, Bachus announced in the Birmingham News that the Northern Beltline had been designated as Interstate 422.[2]
According to the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization the Northern Beltline would be divided into five separate segments for construction. ALDOT has been purchasing right of way for the first to be built segment between Alabama 79 and Alabama 75 north of Pinson.
| Segment | Southern/Western End | Northern/Eastern End | Mileage | Communities traversed | Exits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Segment 1 | I-459 | Jefferson County 46 | 9.02 | Bessemer Hueytown |
I-459 Jefferson County 29 Jefferson County 46 |
| Segment 2 | Jefferson County 46 | U.S. Highway 78 | 9.58 | Pleasant Grove Sylvan Springs Mulga Maytown Adamsville |
State Route 269 U.S. Highway 78 |
| Segment 3 | U.S. Highway 78 | Jefferson County 77 (New Found Road) |
8.28 | Adamsville Graysville Cardiff Brookside |
U.S. Highway 78 I-22 |
| Segment 4 | Jefferson County 77 (New Found Road) |
Jefferson County 121 (New Castle Road) |
10.20 | Brookside Gardendale Morris |
Jefferson County 112 I-65 U.S. Highway 31 Jefferson County 129 |
| Segment 5 | Jefferson County 121 (New Castle Road) |
I-59 | 13.00 | Pinson Clay Trussville |
State Route 79 State Route 75 Jefferson County 30 (Old Springville Road) I-59 |
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