The Birmingham Northern Beltline: A Generational Opportunity for Economic Development, Public Safety and Growth - Birmingham Business Alliance

The Birmingham Northern Beltline (BNB) is a transformative project that will significantly enhance the Greater Birmingham Region’s infrastructure, economy and quality of life. This generational opportunity will provide safer, more efficient transportation for residents, businesses and visitors alike. It will also enable better access to efficient transportation for citizens of the region and consumers and commercial entities traveling to and through central Alabama.

Here’s What You Need To Know About the Birmingham Nothern Beltline:

• Improved Accessibility: It will provide better access to Birmingham's vibrant downtown, bustling business districts and popular attractions like Protective Stadium, Regions Field, the Civil Rights District, the Birmingham Zoo and more.

• Enhanced Safety: It will make driving safer and faster across the Greater Birmingham Region, reducing travel times and improving response times for emergency services. Communities impacted by severe weather and individuals suffering medical emergencies will experience improved response times and more reliable routes to access trauma care and other emergency provisions. For example, traveling from Palmerdale Methodist Church on Highway 75 to Gardendale will be cut from a 20-30 minute drive to a 10-minute drive. For anyone having a medical emergency, the BNB could be a lifesaver.

• Economic Growth: It will create thousands of jobs during construction and generate significant economic benefits for our region. It will attract new businesses, spur development and increase property values. Economic developers have already identified 20 potential industrial parks that could be located along the BNB, and a 2017 economic impact study says completing the BNB will create 70,000 new jobs during construction and 21,00 new jobs each year.

• Community Development: Communities along the BNB route will experience positive growth and development, similar to the impact of I-459 on areas like McCalla and Cahaba Heights.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the congressional delegation, the BNB has secured $519 million in federal funding. They cannot be reprogrammed for another type of project in the state.

Anti-growth opponents of the project claim the funding could be used for other purposes and that it would go further in other places. However, the facts do not align on that claim.

100 percent of the federal funds secured are only eligible to be spent on Appalachian Development Highway System Corridor Construction and the BNB is Alabama’s only incomplete corridor on that system.

The BNB is a vital project that will benefit the Greater Birmingham Region for generations to come. It will improve transportation, enhance safety, boost our economy, and create a more vibrant and prosperous community. Let's support this transformative initiative and work together to make it a reality.

To learn more about the BNB, click here. Click here to read First Responders’ take on the BNB. Click here to read more reactions of public supporters.