By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Alabama Department of Transportation will close portions of Alabama 119 this week to repave parts of the road, and will close parts of U.S. 280 to make improvements to several intersections over the next few weeks.

ALDOT will hold the following road closures over the next couple of weeks:

-On July 25, crews began installing a new guardrail system in the U.S. 280 median from Cherokee Road to Overton Road. As a result of the guardrail work, ALDOT will close portions of U.S. 280 from 7 p.m.-6 a.m. over the next two weeks.

“ALDOT officials expect nighttime lane closures to end in time for increased traffic volumes associated with weekday morning commutes,” read an ALDOT road advisory.

The guardrail installation is part of a long-term ALDOT project to improve 27 intersections in Jefferson and Shelby counties. The project includes plans to add turn lanes and modify traffic signals “to reduce congestion and improve efficiency along one of Alabama’s most traveled roadways,” read the road advisory.

-Each night through the night of Thursday, Aug. 1, ALDOT will close portions of Alabama 119 between Shelby County 22 in Montevallo and Shelby County 26 in Alabaster to repave portions of the road.

The closures will take place from 7 p.m.-6 a.m. each night.

The state recently awarded funding to a project to widen Alabama 119 to four travel lanes and one center turn lane from Shelby County 26 to Shelby County 80 in Alabaster. The section of Alabama 119 currently being repaved by ALDOT will not be affected by the widening project, according to Alabaster officials.

-Each night through the night of Friday, Aug. 2, crews will close portions of Alabama 119 from U.S. 280 to the Shelby-Jefferson county line to perform repaving operations.

The closures will take place from 7 p.m.-6 a.m. each night.