17-Mile Stretch of I-59 to Fully Close Friday for Major Roadway Repairs in Etowah and DeKalb Counties

TWLN Staff Writer | The Weekly Ledger News | Area News

ETOWAH/DEKALB COUNTIES, Ala. — A 17-mile stretch of Interstate 59 in northern Etowah County and southern DeKalb County will be closed to through traffic Friday, December 19, as the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) completes critical roadway and bridge repairs as part of a $40.7 million reconstruction project.

According to ALDOT’s North Region, the closure will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will affect I-59 between Exit 188 (Reece City) and Exit 205 (Collinsville). All traffic will be detoured onto U.S. Highway 11 during that time.

ALDOT said the temporary closure will allow contractor Vulcan Materials to make necessary repairs to the northbound roadway and complete work on the northbound bridge over Stevens Gap Road. Portions of the southbound lanes in the area are currently under reconstruction, requiring traffic in both directions to share the northbound lanes.

Detour Information

• Northbound: Exit I-59 at Exit 188 (Reece City), take SR-211 north to U.S. 11 north, then SR-68 west to re-enter I-59 at Exit 205 (Collinsville).

• Southbound: Exit I-59 at Exit 205 (Collinsville), take SR-68 east to U.S. 11 south, then SR-211 south to re-enter I-59 at Exit 188 (Reece City).

Motorists should expect delays, plan alternate routes when possible, and follow all posted detour signs.

Friday’s closure is part of a larger ALDOT project to reconstruct more than 10 miles of southbound I-59, which began earlier this year and is expected to continue through spring 2027.

Real-time traffic updates are available at ALGOtraffic.com or through the ALGO Traffic mobile app.

Continue to follow The Weekly Ledger News for updates as additional information becomes available.

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