A four-lane highway driving growth, opportunity and connection to our communities.
“For nearly 75 years, there have been promises to extend state and federal roadways through the Black Belt with no action. In 2019, Governor Kay Ivey and the state legislature finally made good on those past promises to build a four-lane road through the Black Belt with the approval of the Rebuild Alabama Act of 2019…”
– The University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center
For decades, citizens, business leaders and public officials have called for construction of the West Alabama Highway as a way to ease travel, improve safety and increase economic opportunities for rural West Alabama residents.
The West Alabama Highway will add lanes to U.S. Highway 43 and State Route 69 to provide a four-lane divided highway from Thomasville to Moundville, a distance of more than 80 miles. This will complete a four-lane highway corridor of roughly 200 miles connecting Mobile and Tuscaloosa.
The West Alabama Highway will promote economic development, enhance connectivity and accessibility, and improve transportation safety.
The West Alabama Highway will grow our economy: A region’s industrial and employment base is closely tied to the quality of its highways. The West Alabama Highway will provide a more convenient and efficient way to move people and goods. It will also provide the region’s residents and businesses with their first four-lane connection to the Interstate Highway System, a driving factor in attracting new economic opportunities. For existing businesses, the West Alabama Highway will provide greater access to other markets, which helps smaller businesses expand their customer base and increase economic activity.
The West Alabama Highway will improve connections and accessibility for everyone: Another major benefit of the West Alabama Highway will be improved connectivity and accessibility. It will provide a more convenient and faster mode of transportation that connects communities and makes it easier for people to access essential services like health care, education and employment. Imagine having a quicker and easier way to get to work, to school, to the doctor or hospital, or to other areas of the state.
The West Alabama Highway will make our travels safer: The West Alabama Highway will transform a two-lane roadway into a four-lane divided highway. Separating opposing traffic with a divided highway will reduce the number and severity of crashes. One study estimates converting two-lane roadways in rural areas to four-lane divided roadways results in a reduction in fatal and injury crashes by as much as 45%.
Welcome to the West Alabama Highway news and updates page. Here you can find the latest information about this important project that will promote economic development, enhance connectivity and accessibility, and improve transportation safety for West Alabama.
As construction of the West Alabama Highway moves forward, you can find information about scheduled temporary detours and travel alerts here so you can move through the project area with ease.
Check back for the latest information as this page will be updated.
You can find information about traffic alerts related to construction of the West Alabama Highway in the “traffic alerts” section of this website and by subscribing to our email updates. You can also check for traffic reports in West Alabama and across the state at algotraffic.com.
Groundbreaking for the West Alabama Highway was held on Nov. 21, 2021, near Linden. The highway will be constructed in phases and is expected to be completed in 2027. Check back here for further updates as more progress is made.
Please email (email address) or call the West Alabama Highway Hotline at (phone number)
Public meetings will be held throughout the construction process and details be announced in the future. Please check back or sign up for email updates to be notified when the next public meeting is scheduled.
An initial round of public meetings about the West Alabama Highway was held in December 2021 in Thomasville, Moundville, Linden and Greensboro. Residents were given the opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions and express their opinions.
Join the team building the West Alabama Highway! Construction of this project will create many job opportunities. If you’re interested in learning more, click here.
The WAH Project will create a four-lane, north-south highway
connecting communities in rural Alabama to the interstate system.
