Addressing Alabama’s Transportation Infrastructure: Roads and Bridges

In the year 2040, Alabamians will take stock of their transportation network and how it provides for economic growth and quality of life. They will look back on decisions made in 2019 by Alabama’s citizens, business community, and elected leadership.

At the time of writing this report (2018), exotic and disruptive innovations such as self-driving vehicles, networked ridesharing, cars and trucks communicating electronically with each other and the roadside, and unmanned aerial, marine, and terrestrial vehicles are moving through research and development phases into real-world testing and eventual deployment. Regardless of their future promise or impact, infrastructure demand for the next 20 years is expected to be overwhelmingly focused on well-constructed and maintained roads and bridges with sufficient capacity and consideration for safety to enable efficient freight and passenger movement across the state.

This report examines the extent, condition, and use of the Alabama road network. The authors received input from a wide range of stakeholders, including legislators, residents, the business community, shippers, truck and auto drivers, passengers, and others involved in the development and use of the network.