Officials say the reconstruction of Interstate 20/59 through downtown Birmingham remains on schedule.

Alabama Department of Transportation Regional Engineer DeJarvis Leonard tells WBRC-TV that the overall project is somewhere between 75% and 80% complete.That includes placement of 1,600 new bridge segments so far. Leonard says 700 more segments need to be placed.

The shutdown affects the more than 1-mile-long section of I-59/20 from Red Mountain Expressway to Interstate 65.

Traffic clogged downtown Birmingham streets after the shutdown began in January, but Leonard says congestion is easing.

He says traffic signals have been adjusted on one detour route to speed motorists.

Construction costs are expected to top $700 million.

If Texas contractor Johnson Brothers finishes before the March 2020 deadline, it could earn a bonus of up to $15 million.
 (Associated Press, copyright 2019)

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