Public Hearing Today on Birmingham's Northern Beltline Highway
Public Comments Due in 10 Days
Public hearings will be held Thursday, Nov. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Center Point on the proposed section of Birmingham's northern beltline Interstate highway between Highway 75 in Palmerdale and I-59 in the Clay-Trussville-Argo area.
This portion of the beltline's route will pass through pristine headwater areas for both the Black Warrior and Cahaba Rivers through beautiful rolling hills along Red Mountain by Butler Mountain, the highest point in Jefferson County, according to a press release from the Black Warrior Riverkeeper group.
The Northern Beltline aims to connect with I-459 and create a full loop around the city of Birmingham. Maps will be available for viewing at the hearing on the proposed route and highway officials will be there to answer questions.
Over the past year or so, Black Warrior Riverkeeper and other river advocates have been meeting with Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and Federal Highway Administration staff to voice concerns on the proposed route of the Northern Beltline highway and its potential to adversely impact the Black Warrior and Cahaba Rivers.
This last portion of the Northern Beltline will have damaging effects on headwater tributaries of both the Black Warrior and Cahaba Rivers, accoding to Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke.
"Specifically, in the Black Warrior basin to the West of Red Mountain, the headwaters of Dry Creek, a tributary of Turkey Creek - home of the endangered vermilion darter - are directly in the route of the highway so it will essentially be destroyed," Brooke said.
On the East side of the mountain the highway will cross eight headwater tributaries of the Cahaba and its main stem, culminating at I-59 with a major interchange.
"Headwater streams are integral to a river's health, and interstate developments by ALDOT have had lasting impacts on Alabama's streams," Brooke said.
For instance, another new highway being built over the past several decades is Corridor X (I-22). This project filled countless streams and lakes with sediment during its construction.
"I have documented some of these issues along the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior," Brooke said. "They are not using adequate erosion control techniques on these massive projects."
The group has offered ideas and techniques for erosion control to ALDOT that are more effective and more progressive than what they are currently required to use, Brooke said.
But, he said, "We have not seen a willingness on their part to take this extra step. Without better erosion control practices, we will see devastation of local streams along the route of the Northern Beltline."
This project's justification is that of commercial and real estate development.
"It is not needed for traffic, and it will travel throughout remote western and northern parts of Jefferson County that currently have sparse populations," Brooke said. "These areas do not have the funding or infrastructure available to handle a surge in these types of development."
Much better planning is needed for a project of this magnitude, he said, and the resulting development of these areas by today's standards will have lasting impacts.
"Large scale commercial and real estate developments are being done quickly and haphazardly with little respect for our fragile resources," he said. "The result is poor water quality (runoff containing mud, trash, oil and other contaminants), highly eroded stream beads, and flooding downstream."
Comment forms will be available at the hearing and comments may be submitted within 10 business days following the hearing.
Comments should be sent to:
Mr. Brian C. Davis, Division Engineer
P.O. Box 2745
Birmingham, AL 35202-2745
Attn: Mrs. Sandra Bonner
For more information, go to BlackWarriorRiver.Org.