NORTHERN BELTLINE FACTS The proposed Northern Beltline north and west of Birmingham has raised serious questions from local communities, taxpayers,

and conservation groups about whether this project is best for greater Birmingham, from an environmental, economic, and

transportation perspective. The 52-mile, 6-lane highway will cost taxpayers $5.342 Billion, or $102.7 Million per mile.1 It will be

the most expensive road project in the history of Alabama, and one of the most expensive (per mile) ever built in the nation.

The road will cross and permanently alter Black Warrior and Cahaba river tributaries in 90 places and wetlands in 35 places

(including impacts to 2 major sources of drinking water). It will destroy 3,078 football fields’ worth of forest. This route is the

most ecologically destructive of the 7 routes initially considered by the Alabama Department of Transportation.2 (See Map #1)

If completed, the road would only relieve 1-3% of traffic on I-20/59 through downtown Birmingham, and it will not reroute

significant truck traffic. In fact, traffic will increase on the heavily-congested section of I-59 through Trussville and Argo.3

Construction of the Northern Beltline has been ranked 36th

in priority by the Regional Planning Commission,4 yet it is being

prioritized by ALDOT and the Birmingham Business Alliance over much-needed fixes for current traffic, safety, and maintenance

problems.

As a result of the 2012 federal transportation bill known as MAP-21, potential future funding considered for this road can now be

spent on other road and bridge projects around Birmingham, and throughout the state, that are critically needed. Map #2 shows a

sample of unfunded projects in metro Birmingham that could all be completed for over $1 billion less than the cost of the

Northern Beltline. These 63 projects include widening I-65, improving Hwy. 280, widening I-59/20, and completing all 50 of the

Regional Planning Commission’s visionary projects in the region. All of these other projects will generate jobs and long-term

economic health, and they now compete directly with the Beltline for limited federal funding.5

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal Highway Trust Fund, which provides money for most major

transportation projects throughout Alabama, is “unsustainable.” “Starting in fiscal year 2015, the trust fund will have insufficient

amounts to meet all of its obligations, resulting in steadily accumulating shortfalls.”6 Even without pursuing the $5.342 billion

Beltline, ALDOT already currently has a backlog of traffic, safety, and maintenance projects. The Beltline will make it harder to

meet these ongoing needs.

Public mass transit infrastructure can be funded with future would-be Beltline dollars according to the new federal transportation

bill. Pursuing this missing transportation link in the greater Birmingham area may be a better investment for the region.

To improve regional connectivity for Jefferson County and create jobs, ALDOT should consider more functional alternatives like

extending Corridor X beyond I-65 and Hwy. 31 to I-59, instead of sinking well over $5 billion into the Beltline.

Any development that occurs along the Beltline route will likely not be “new” growth, but rather a redistribution of growth,

capital, and jobs from older developed areas, producing empty homes, storefronts, and blight as has already occurred in parts of

the Birmingham region. Even ALDOT has predicted that the road, if completed over three decades from now, will only attract

2,200 residents and 2,800 permanent jobs in the vicinity of the 52-mile corridor.7

A small handful of corporate landowners in the path of the road stand to gain financially. They, along with road building, mining,

development, and utility interests, are driving the support for this $5.342 billion project along this chosen route, which has little

transportation benefit for the region. (See Map #3 produced by The Birmingham News).

The large price tag of the road does not take into account the significant extra cost of sewer and other infrastructure that must be

installed for the area to be developed. (See Map #4 – Jefferson County’s Sewer Infrastructure). The major costs of extending

water lines, power lines, local roads, public safety services, and schools have yet to be factored into the Beltline’s overall price.

1 FHWA, https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/foisp/publicActive.do (as of December 4, 2015).

2 FHWA, ALDOT, Final Environmental Impact Statement (June 26, 1997). 3 Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham. Public Involvement Meeting Documentation for 2035 RTP. April 2010, p. 4-17.

http://www.rpcgb.org/download/mpo/RPCGB-MPO-Public-Involvement-Meeting-Documentation.pdf; Birmingham Northern Beltline Termini

Analysis, September 1993, p. 3. 4 Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, Birmingham 2035 Regional Transportation Plan, April 2010, Appendix 5D.

http://www.rpcgb.org/download/mpo/RPCGB-MPO-RTP-Appendix-5D-Project-Prioritization.pdf. 5 Spencer, Thomas, Transportation Bill Eliminates Designated Source of Funding for Northern Beltline but Keeps it on Track.

http://blog.al.com/sweethome/2012/07/transportation_bill_eliminates.html; U.S. Congressional Research Service, Surface Transportation Funding

and Programs Under MAP-21: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (P.B. 112-141) (R42762; Sept. 27, 2012), by Robert S. Kirk, et. al.

p.10 http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42762.pdf; See also 40 USCS § 14501; 23 USCS § 133. 6 Congressional Budget Office, Status of the Record; Status of the Highway Trust Fund, April 24, 2013, p. 1.

http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/44093-HighwayTrustFund.pdf. 7 ALDOT, FHWA, Final Environmental Impact Statement Reevaluation, March 2012, Appendix L.

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GIS Data Soucres: Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham; US Census Bureau; National Wetlands Inventory (USFWS);National Hydrography Dataset (USGS); Tele Atlas

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NEWS STAFF/JEFF HANSEN, THOMAS SPENCER AND JODY POTTER

PROPERTY OWNED BY:

LARGE LANDOWNERS ALONG THE BELTLINE

U.S. STEELWhile still a steelmaker, much of the company’s recent activity here has been residential and commercial development. Examples include Trace Crossings, Ross Bridge and The Preserve in Hoover and Grand River in Leeds.

DRUMMOND CO.With one active mine left in Jefferson County, Drummond is also in the real estate business, at Liberty Park on I-459. Bruce Windom, the company's vice president for government affairs, said the company supports the beltline project for the improvements it would make to the road network. He said Drummond doesn't have any immediate plans for land it owns near the beltline.

ALAWESTGene Taylor, the chairman of Alawest and owner of Warrior Tractor and Equipment Co. in Northport, said Alawest land is being managed for timber and the company has a small coal mining operation.

WALTER ENERGYWalter, which is moving its headquar-ters to Birmingham, holds current and former mining land in the county and supports the beltline.

QUAIL RIDGE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANYThe nearly 6,000 acres near Garden-dale owned by the McDonald family was offered for sale to Forever Wild for a nature preserve. Forever Wild declined. A family representative said there are no particular plans for the forested acres.

OAK GROVE DEVELOPMENT COMPANYA subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., Oak Grove mines high-grade coal that is used in the steel-making process.

DUPONTThe international chemical and materials company.

WALKER FAMILY HOLDINGS Land amassed by the Walker family of northeast Jefferson County. Used for recreation and timber. Family members said they have no development plans.

TUTWILERTracts owned by members of the Tutwiler family, which historically was involved in mining and industry.

Source: Jefferson County Board of Equalization

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Northern beltline

65

59

20

2059

459

Corridor X

Planned interchanges

Under construction

The planned Northern Beltline would open former mine lands, much of it now in timber, to development.

Clay

Trussville