Construction begins on McWright’s-Ferry Road expansion

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) -The long-awaited expansion of McWright’s-Ferry Road in north Tuscaloosa is well underway.

The two-mile stretch will include a new bridge and a new pedestrian bridge. Workers started about two months ago and Tuscaloosa city councilman Norm Crow estimates they’re probably about 5% into the project.

What makes this special for the city and nearby neighbors is the fact this was something that was talked about, tossed around for about 40 years and nothing really became of it until this year. The McWright’s-Ferry Road extension will connect Rice Mine Road to New Watermelon Road.

With this project, you’ll see a new bridge over the North River and a pedestrian bridge over the same river. Councilman Crow says this was long overdue for so many reasons.

“Alleviate traffic but also there’s a public safety issue. Yeah, there’s only one way out across the spillway there up north near Lake Tuscaloosa and it’s 45 minutes around another way, so public safety is paramount,” said Tuscaloosa city council district 3 councilman Norm Crow.

Right now construction crews are busy clear-cutting and getting the path ready. The real meat of the work begins this summer.

“I would expect this summer or in the next month or so they’re going to start working diligently on the road,” said councilman Crow.

The job costs around $66 million, all of it paid for through the Tuscaloosa County Road Commission, according to Crow.

The work is on schedule and set to be finished by either late 2025 or early 2026.

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