I-59/20 McFarland Blvd Bridge

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The Crimson Arch Bridge, formally the I-59/20 McFarland Blvd Bridge is a cable-stay arch supported bridge on I-20/59 spanning McFarland Boulevard/U.S. Highway 82 at Exit 73 in southern Tuscaloosa.

Cables hung from the large metal arches on either side of the bridge support the ends of girders supporting the concrete bridge deck. The arches are painted crimson as a nod to the Alabama Crimson Tide, and to serve as a "gateway" to Tuscaloosa.

The six-lane bridge replaced an earlier 4-lane bridge, and was constructed as part of an $83.4 million project to widen the interstate between Exit 73 and Exit 77.

bridge's longer span allowed for the diamond intersection below to be reconfigured as a single point urban interchange (SPUI), eliminating one of two traffic signals and improving the traffic capacity of the boulevard.

Brasfield & Gorrie began construction of the new bridge in early 2018. In November 2019 the Alabama Department of Transportation found that the southern arch had been installed with a twist in it. That part of the structure was removed in January 2021 and replaced that spring.

References

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