Interstate 22 Interchange Opens Completing Link to Memphis

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/06/I-22-Sign.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1085;s:4:"file";s:21:"2016/06/I-22-Sign.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-336x190.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:190;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-771x436.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:436;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-768x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"I-22-Sign-1536x868.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:868;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"I-22-Sign-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-550x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:550;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"I-22-Sign-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:722380;s:14:"optimized_size";i:133376;s:7:"percent";d:81.540000000000006;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:49:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:581245;s:14:"optimized_size";i:51229;s:7:"percent";d:91.189999999999998;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4544;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3035;s:7:"percent";d:33.210000000000001;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-336x190.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:10900;s:14:"optimized_size";i:6713;s:7:"percent";d:38.409999999999997;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-771x436.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:39843;s:14:"optimized_size";i:21352;s:7:"percent";d:46.409999999999997;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:26488;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14834;s:7:"percent";d:44;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:13450;s:14:"optimized_size";i:8144;s:7:"percent";d:39.450000000000003;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-550x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23560;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14212;s:7:"percent";d:39.68;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-470x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:18467;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11244;s:7:"percent";d:39.109999999999999;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/I-22-Sign-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3883;s:14:"optimized_size";i:2613;s:7:"percent";d:32.710000000000001;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Lessie Dingler
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1636115102 
1466432235

State leaders, along with officials from Washington D.C. and around Jefferson County, cut the ribbon Monday on the interchange between Interstate 22 and Interstate 65, completing a long-awaited highway between Birmingham and Memphis.

“The potential market has now expanded and vast new opportunities are now before us,” says Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens.

Proposals for a limited-access highway between those two cities go back to the 1930s and was known as Corridor X. Construction on the Alabama portion of I-22 began in 1984. It cost more than a billion dollars with the final interchange costing $158 million. Economic development officials say the completed interstate will be a key tool to recruit and grow businesses.

“I know it’s been a long time in the making,” says Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt. “I think you’re going to see the dividends for jobs in northwest Alabama.”

Governor Robert Bentley is surrounded by political and economic development leaders as he cuts the ribbon on the interchange between Interstate 22 and Interstate 65.

Lessie Dingler,WBHM
Governor Robert Bentley is surrounded by political and economic development leaders as he cuts the ribbon on the interchange between Interstate 22 and Interstate 65.

The finished highway is also a welcomed change for residents.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever been so excited about the opening of a road,” says Ellen Brake, who lives with her husband Benny near the highway northwest of Birmingham. They say it’ll make for easier travel to the city for the doctor or other appointments.

“It makes the area we live in less isolated,” says Benny Brake.

The interchange was originally supposed to open in October 2014. Contractor Archer Western was fined $2,000 a day for the delay.

With reporting from WBHM intern La’Nissi Brown

 

Figures and Dobson are in a heated battle for a redrawn Alabama House district

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama voters will decide who will represent a congressional district that was redrawn after a lengthy legal battle that drew national attention and could provide a rare opportunity for Democrats to flip a seat in the Deep South. Democrat Shomari Figures, a former top aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, […]

A wild election is coming to a close — and no one is sure how it will end

From candidate swaps to assassination attempts, the final months of the campaign has been a whirlwind. Here's why the outcome is so consequential.

Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes can proceed, a Pennsylvania judge says

Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta in Pennsylvania — ruling after Musk’s lawyers said the winners are paid spokespeople and not chosen by chance — did not immediately explain his reasoning.

Puerto Rico holds general election that promises to be historic

Puerto Rico is holding elections that will be historic regardless of which of the top two gubernatorial candidates wins.

Boeing machinists approve contract, bringing an end to a bruising seven-week strike

Striking machinists voted to approve an agreement that will hike wages by 38%. The deal was endorsed by union leaders, who warned that Boeing’s next offer might be worse.

States and cities beef up security to prepare for potential election-related violence

Washington state's governor activated the National Guard to stand by to help local law enforcement as needed. Meanwhile, extra security is in place at locations across Washington, D.C.

More Front Page Coverage