ALDOT and the city of Hoover host public meeting for the interstate interchange I-459 project

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Alabama Department of Transportation and the city of Hoover hosted a public meeting for Hoover residents Thursday.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide information and gather community input on the proposed new interstate interchange on I-459.

City leaders are telling me the population in this area has grown 47% over the past 20 years and growth is expected to continue.

The new interchange is proposed to reduce traffic congestion and delays on I-459 and SR-150 in Hoover.

The proposed design will include auxiliary lanes from the new interchange to exit 10, bridges over I-459, and ramp bridges over the railroad.

The plan is to create a diverging diamond interchange that will allow two directions of traffic to temporarily cross to the left side of the roadway and return.

High volumes of traffic can move quickly and easily through an intersection without increasing the number of lanes and traffic signals.

I spoke with Mac Martin, a Hoover resident and city employee about his thoughts on the public meeting.

“The traffic flow could certainly use enhancement and safety. Traffic safety is a major concern, particularly at the interchange of Highway 150 and 459. Mornings and evenings, traffic backs up there and even onto the interstate, and that’s a real safety concern,” Martin said. “Having this additional interchange is going to help immensely with those issues, as well as offering additional safe and efficient access to the interstate for all of the neighborhoods that have developed and are developing on this side of town.”

The community’s input along with the environmental impacts, engineering aspects, and costs will be used to get the final approval from the federal highway administration.

The city hopes construction will begin in spring of 2025.

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