CULLMAN, Ala. (WIAT) — Governor Kay Ivey and Alabama legislators joined Cullman city officials to celebrate the opening of two additional lanes on Alabama 157.

The completion of the $14.9 million project caps off decades of planning and construction on the four-lane corridor through northwest Alabama. Chilton Contractors Inc. began construction on the new northbound roadway in October 2020. Though most work on the widening project between U.S. 31 and Alabama 69 is complete and all lanes are open for travel, drivers should know that that it is still a work zone and single-lane closures are possible at times for completion of final, minor work items.

“It’s evident industry always chases after infrastructure, and our economy continues on its record-breaking, upwards trajectory, we must continue to ensure Alabama remains connected and traffic flows,” Ivey said in a statement. “When interstate access is limited, economic development is hampered and access to schools, health care and facilities that house our basic, daily necessities are limited. And as North Alabama continues to remain prosperous and abundant with opportunities for growth, the need for a widened highway is more apparent than ever.”