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] => 
        )

)
1666680038 
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

 

Blue Jays rout Dodgers 11-4 in World Series opener

Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, as the Toronto Blue Jays overwhelmed the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener Friday night in Toronto.

U.S. sends aircraft carrier to South America in major escalation of military firepower

The deployment and the quickening pace of U.S. strikes, including one Friday, raised new speculation about how far the Trump administration may go in operations it says are targeted at drug trafficking.

DOJ hires immigration judges after months of layoffs

Judges will soon take the bench across 16 states, the Justice Department said. These include courts that saw the biggest losses of judges this year.

Pakistan bans hard-line Islamist party known for its fierce anti-blasphemy stance

Pakistan banned a hard-line Islamist party on Thursday, more than a week after heated clashes with police that left at least five people dead.

U.S. imposes sanctions on Colombia’s president and family over drug trade allegations

The sanctions sharply escalate tensions with the leftist leader of a country that has traditionally been one of the closest U.S. allies in South America.

Rosa Parks and Helen Keller statues unveiled at the Alabama Capitol

The monuments honoring the Alabama natives, whose advocacy helped dismantle racial segregation and promoted the rights of people with disabilities, are the first statues of women to be installed on the lawn of the Alabama Capitol.

More Front Page Coverage