A change to the data center project in Bessemer brings praise from a transportation advocacy group.
The Coalition for Regional Transportation praised Bessemer's decision Tuesday, saying it resolves conflicts between the Northern Beltline and data center plans.
They said the original plans for the data center conflicted with plans for the Northern Beltline.
That stretch of the Northern Beltline will extend from I-59 in northeast Jefferson County to the I-459 interchange in Bessemer, completing a loop around Birmingham.
The coalition said today's move in Bessemer ensures both the Beltline and data center projects move forward.
"The Northern Beltline is a generational investment in connectivity and economic growth for Bessemer, Jefferson County and all of Alabama," Coalition Executive Director Michael Staley said, comparing it to the transformative impact of I-459.
"Think about the development along I-459 – from the Galleria to Liberty Park to The Summit – and then imagine a 52-mile extension of that same opportunity," Staley said. "That is what the Northern Beltline represents for areas that currently lack interstate access."