Northern Beltline Construction Continues
The construction of the Northern Beltline is well on its way, with the first phase running between Hwy. 75 and Hwy. 79 in northeast Jefferson County.
AL.COM reports:
Heavy equipment including bulldozers, trackhoes and heavy dump trucks are moving dirt and grading an area near where the interchange will be. Two construction entrances to Hwy 75 have been added so equipment can enter the site.
Construction Has Begun on Northern Beltline
Hailed as Unparalleled Economic Development Engine
The first shovels of dirt have been turned, signaling the beginning of construction on the long-awaited Northern Beltline.
Gov. Robert Bentley joined Alabama Department of Transportation Director John Cooper, Rep. Spencer Bachus and dozens of local and state officials for a ground-breaking ceremony today in Palmerdale, Alabama.
The ceremony took place at the first 1.34 mile Beltline segment, between Alabama Highways 75 and 79.
When completed, the 52.5-mile Beltline will run through the western and northern part of Jefferson County and join existing I-459 in Bessemer to I-59 near Argo.
“At long last, this much needed project is now officially underway,” said Mike Thompson, CEO of Thompson Tractor and Chairman of the Coalition for Regional Transportation.
“The Northern Beltline will have such a positive economic impact on our children and grandchildren. This project will allow our metropolitan area to catch up to our neighboring southeastern states in transportation infrastructure that is so important to the continued growth of our area,” Thompson said. “Our citizens deserve no less.”
Read moreNorthern Beltline Groundbreaking Ceremony Scheduled, Governor Bentley To Speak
The Coalition for Regional Transportation is pleased to announce the groundbreaking ceremony for the Northern Beltline will be held April 21, 2014. Governor Robert Bentley will lead the event which is expected to draw a significant number of elected officials from the federal, state and local levels.
This event will mark the long-awaited beginning of construction on the Northern Beltline which has been strongly supported throughout all the communities that make the Birmingham region a vibrant place to live and work. The jobs creation, economic growth opportunities, and improvements to cross-region accessibility and safety will benefit generations to come.
Northern Beltline Groundbreaking celebration
WHEN:
Monday, April 21, 2014 at 9:00 AM
WHERE:
Highway 75, Palmerdale, Alabama
DIRECTIONS:
- From I-20, take Exit #128 (Highway 79N).
- Drive approximately 12.2 miles North, then turn Right on Highway 75.
- Drive approximately 3.4 miles then turn Right on Clay-Palmerdale Road.
Judge rules against Alabama enviromental group’s attempt to block Northern Beltline
Late Friday afternoon, a U.S. District Court ruled against Black Warrior Riverkeeper Inc., a local Alabama environmental group, in their request to block the start of construction for the Northern Beltline.
Yellow Hammer Politics Reports:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the permit for the first phase of construction on the beltline in September of last year. Less than a month later, theSouthern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit on behalf of Black Warrior Riverkeeper challenging the permit and seeking to block construction.
The lawsuit was based on the premise that beginning the first phase of construction — a 1.8 mile segment joining State Roads 79 and 75 — violated requirements in the National Environmental Policy Act stating that environmental impact studies must be performed before permits can be granted. The Corps of Engineers had conducted such a study on the first segment of construction, but not the entire 51-mile project.
The court found that “requiring the Corps to prepare [a study for each section of the beltline ahead of time] would likely result in the project never being started at all and would be useless and redundant.”
San Francisco-based environmental interests are funneling millions into Alabama
A recent media report shows that San Francisco-based environmental interests are funneling millions to the very Alabama anti-growth groups that are fighting the Northern Beltline and the much needed jobs and access for the Birmingham region that the Beltline would provide.
Using data made publicly available by the Energy Foundation, here’s a quick snapshot of how much money environmental groups participating in the Alabama Public Service Commission hearings received, and what the funds were earmarked for:
- Alabama Arise: $50,000 during the Alabama PSC hearings “to advance clean energy policies in Alabama.”
- Alabama Environmental Council (AEC): $107,000 “to increase capacity and stakeholder engagement on clean energy issues in Alabama,” including $62,000 during the Alabama PSC hearings.
- Alabama Rivers Alliance: $40,000 matching grant during the Alabama PSC hearings “to accelerate the retirement of coal-fired power plants in Alabama.”
- Greater Birmingham Alliance to Stop Air Pollution (GASP): $70,000, including a $20,000 matching grant “to accelerate the retirement of coal-fired power plants in Alabama” and $50,000 “to increase capacity and support for clean air policies in Alabama.”
- Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE): $810,000 for a wide variety of climate-related issues in the southeast, including $60,000 during the Alabama PSC hearings “to accelerate retirement of coal-fired power plants.”
- Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC): $1.8 Million, including $60,000 during the PSC hearings “to accelerate retirement of coal-fired power plants in the Southeast.”