Part of Interstate 65 in Shelby County will soon get an upgrade, with resurfacing work scheduled to begin later this year on a stretch of highway from the Chilton County line to Exit 238 in Alabaster.

Gary Ray, the Alabama Department of Transportation district engineer for Shelby County, said the work is sorely needed.

“That pavement out there is 20 years old and, as people know, there are some surfaces out there that are pretty rough,” he said. “You have to turn your radio up when you’re driving there.”

Ray said the project is tentatively scheduled to be let in August, which means a contractor could start work as soon as October. However, those plans can change, he said.

The work is expected to take approximately a year to complete because of possible winter weather concerns after the project begins, Ray said.

“Because this project will go through winter, weather is probably going to hold it up sometime,” he said.

Ray said federal funds will be used for the project, which has been planned for about five years.