Woolsey Finnell Bridge Upgrade To Begin This Fall

The $132 million project to replace the Woolsey Finnell Bridge, which carries McFarland Boulevard over the Black Warrior River, with an eight-lane upgrade is set to begin this fall, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.

An environmental study mandated by federal law required ALDOT to look for bat roosting sites on and near the bridge to ensure that construction activities minimize the disturbance to the bat population. The state agency says the project was then delayed from last spring due to the length of time it has taken to secure environmental permits.

"The Woolsey Finnell Bridge was built in the 1960s. It's considered functionally obsolete," ALDOT West Central Division Engineer Wallace McAdory said in describing how the project came to be upgraded. "It's not designed for barge impact loads. It has no shoulders. And with a federal earmark from Senator Richard Shelby, we were able to progress this project from what began as a widening project to a full bridge replacement."

Adding to the delay was a complaint by the City of Tuscaloosa with early design plans. Of several concerns raised by the city, the most significant dealt with ALDOT's plan to remove a road connected to the Campus Drive exit off McFarland Boulevard completely.

City officials pointed out the initial design would have made it difficult and time consuming for traffic to access the University of Alabama campus, Tuscaloosa Magnet School, Baumhower's Victory Grille Grill and PopStroke Golf.

The city's concern has been rectified by plans to reconfigure the intersection at the Campus Drive exit and Julia Tutwiler Drive with a roundabout project expected to start in spring 2027 and last some six months. The state and city will share in the $3.5 million cost.

Construction is not expected to significantly impact traffic along McFarland Blvd./U.S. 82. The entire project is expected to last three years.