The next phase of a $16.5 million project to resurface Interstate 65 in Morgan County began May 10, 2026, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT).
Contractor Rogers Group will carry out work from just south of State Route 36 at Exit 328 in Hartselle to south of the Interstate 565 interchange at Exit 340 in Limestone County. The corridor represents a heavily traveled freight route, making pavement rehabilitation critical to maintaining long-term performance and safety.
Resurfacing operations will begin with full-depth patching in areas of pavement failure, followed by milling to remove the existing asphalt surface and correct rutting and unevenness. Crews will then place new asphalt courses designed to improve ride quality, restore structural strength and extend the life of the roadway. Final work will include shoulder improvements, lane striping and placement of pavement markings.
The contractor also is expected to address isolated base issues uncovered during milling, ensuring a stable foundation before new asphalt is applied. Milling and paving will be sequenced in stages to maintain traffic flow and reduce the time that milled surfaces are exposed.
To minimize disruption, most lane closures will occur overnight from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Motorists should expect single-lane traffic and periodic delays through active work zones.
Although ALDOT has not released a firm completion date for this phase, projects of similar scope typically extend several months, with substantial completion anticipated later in the construction season depending on weather and field conditions.
The current work builds on the first phase completed last year, when crews resurfaced I 65 from Hurricane Creek north of Vinemont in Cullman County to south of State Route 36 in Hartselle. That phase also included raising two overpasses to improve vertical clearance and completing a bridge repair added after the contract award. Some of those segments remain subject to minor follow-up work and intermittent lane closures.
Along the same corridor, ALDOT is advancing several adjacent projects, including installation of traffic cameras and dynamic message signs and a recently completed interstate sign replacement effort.
Work also is nearing completion on the rehabilitation of the Tennessee River bridges, a critical component of the interstate system in North Alabama. The bridge project has focused on extending the service life of the structures through comprehensive upgrades, including deck repairs and resurfacing, structural steel maintenance and protective coatings to reduce corrosion. Crews have performed joint replacements to improve ride quality and prevent water intrusion, as well as upgrades to drainage systems to better manage runoff.
Additional improvements have included substructure repairs, bearing maintenance and safety enhancements such as updated guardrail connections and improved approach transitions between the roadway and bridge decks. Construction has been staged to maintain traffic on the heavily used crossing, with lane closures coordinated to limit impacts on regional travel and freight movement.
With the bridge rehabilitation nearing completion, officials expect the structures to provide improved durability and reduced maintenance needs for years to come, complementing the ongoing resurfacing work along the I 65 corridor.
ALDOT encourages motorists to monitor real-time traffic conditions and plan travel accordingly using the state's ALGO Traffic system.
