Editing Interstate 22 (section)

==History==
The concept of a Memphis-to-Birmingham expressway was discussed as early as the 1950s but did not move beyond talk for more than 20&nbsp;years.<ref name="lynch">{{cite web |url = http://www.businessalabama.com/Business-Alabama/October-2015/Lynchpin-I-22-Nears-Completion/ |title = Lynchpin I-22 Nears Completion |date = October 2015 |work = Business Alabama |access-date = February 20, 2016 |archive-date = July 3, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180703133249/http://www.businessalabama.com/Business-Alabama/October-2015/Lynchpin-I-22-Nears-Completion/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> Political push for Corridor X began in the 1970s under the leadership of Congressman Tom Bevill.  After Bevill's retirement, Congressman Robert Aderholt was involved with completing the project.

When studies for I-22 began, the highway was proposed to continue west to downtown [[Memphis, Tennessee]], and end at [[Interstate 240 (Tennessee)|I-240]] and [[Interstate 69|I-69]]. Several other proposals were also considered. One took I-22 along I-269 to I-55/I-69 and another took it along Crump Boulevard to end at [[Interstate 55|I-55]], but those plans never materialized.

The part of I-22 just east of [[Fulton, Mississippi]], was approved by [[United States Congress|Congress]] as "Corridor&nbsp;X" in 1978, as a part of the [[Appalachian Development Highway System|ADHS]], and parts of I-22 have been under construction ever since.<ref name="December 22, 2003">{{cite news |title = Shelby's Clout Has Helped Put Corridor X on the Brink of Completion |first = Jeffery |last = McMurray |publisher = Associated Press State and Local Wire |date = December 22, 2003 }}</ref> Corridor X was also designated as "High Priority Corridor&nbsp;10" in the federal [[National Highway System Designation Act]] of 1995 and as "High Priority Corridor&nbsp;45" in later legislation.{{cn|date=November 2024}} Over the many years of development, the project changed multiple times.

In 2004, Corridor&nbsp;X was designated as Future I-22 by Public Law Number&nbsp;108-199,<ref name="January 28, 2004">{{cite news |title = Corridor X Gets Official Seal as I-22 |first = Ginny |last = MacDonald |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = January 28, 2004 }}{{page needed|date=February 2016}}</ref> and the designation was made official on April 18, 2005.<ref name="April 15, 2005">{{cite news |title = Corridor X Becomes I-22: Signs Bearing Name to Be Unveiled Monday in Jasper by Officials |first = Ginny |last = MacDonald |newspaper = [[The Birmingham News]] |date = April 15, 2005 |page = 1C }}</ref> In Alabama and Mississippi, blue signs reading "FUTURE/I-22/CORRIDOR" at left and an I-22 shield with "FUTURE" instead of "INTERSTATE" at the right were unveiled on April 18, 2005.<ref name="April 15, 2005"/>

The first major completed section of the route between the Mississippi state line and [[Jasper, Alabama|Jasper]] was opened to traffic on November 22, 2005.<ref name="November 23, 2005">{{cite news |title = Corridor X Section Opens in West Alabama |first = Kent |last = Faulk |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = November 23, 2005 |page = 4C }}</ref> Exits on the Jasper Bypass portion of I-22 were originally numbered using a kilometer-based sequence because, at the time this stretch was opened, it appeared that all highways in the US were going to be measured using the metric system. The final decision was made to remain using miles, and they have been renumbered according to the highway's [[milepost]]s. A {{convert|6|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} segment between Graysville and Brookside was opened in June 2007,<ref name="June 2, 2007">{{cite news |title = 13&nbsp;Miles of Corridor X to Open: End of Long Road in Sight for I-22 |first = Ginny |last = MacDonald |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = June 2, 2007 |page = 1A }}</ref> and another {{convert|20|mi|km|adj=on}} section of Future I-22 between Jasper and [[Graysville, Alabama|Graysville]] was opened in November 2007.<ref name="October 31, 2007">{{cite news |title = 26&nbsp;Miles of Corridor X to Open Nov. 14: Stretch Offers Straight Shot from Forestdale to Memphis |first = Ginny |last = MacDonald |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = October 31, 2007 |page = 1A }}</ref> A {{convert|1.8|mi|adj=on}} segment between Cherry Avenue in [[Forestdale, Alabama|Forestdale]] to a point about {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} short of I-65 near Fultondale, including an interchange with Coalburg Road, was opened in December 2009.<ref name="December 10, 2009">{{cite news |title = Corridor X Opens New Section: Interchange Lags |last = Staff Reporters |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = December 10, 2009 |page = 2A }}</ref> Next came the connection of I-22 with I-65 and US&nbsp;31.<ref name="December 10, 2009"/> The [[Alabama Department of Transportation]] (ALDOT) widened Coalburg Road from its interchange with I-22 southward to Daniel Payne Drive (which leads to I-65) to allow heavy trucks to use it; this project was nearly complete as of May 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/05/coalburg_looks_nice_and_smooth.html#incart_related_stories |title = Coalburg Road Looks Nice and Smooth, but Not Done ... Yet |work = AL.com |date = May 10, 2015 }}</ref> Signs are now in place on Daniel Payne Drive (westbound) informing truckers that access to I-22 is not allowed from Daniel Payne Drive.

ALDOT was to award contracts in August 2009 for the construction of the final segment of I-22, including its large interchange with I-65 and [[U.S. Route 31|US&nbsp;31]], with the construction to begin shortly afterward. Funding delays postponed these into 2010, however. On March 19, 2010, President [[Barack Obama]] signed the [[Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act]] (HIRE Act) into law, which included an extension of federal highway funding through the end of 2010. This extension gave the ALDOT the opportunity to proceed with its plans for the construction of final segment of I-22 in Alabama. The opening of the bids for this project began on May 21, 2010. ALDOT announced on June 16, 2010, that the project has been awarded to the company Archer Western Contractors for $168.6&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|168600000|2010}}}} in {{Inflation/year|index=US-GDP}}{{Inflation/fn|index=US-GDP}}).<ref name="June 16, 2010">{{cite news |title = Construction Contract Awarded for Final Link of Corridor X |first = Jeremy |last = Gray |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = June 16, 2010 |url = http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/06/construction_contract_awarded.html |access-date = June 21, 2010 }}</ref> The project is the most expensive highway project ever undertaken in Jefferson County, and it is the highest-priced contract awarded by the ALDOT {{As of|2010|lc=y}}.<ref name="July 26, 2010">{{cite news |title = Birmingham I-65/Corridor X Project Set to Launch August 1 |first = Jeremy |last = Gray |newspaper = The Birmingham News |date = July 26, 2010 |url = http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/07/birmingham_i-65corridor_x_proj.html |access-date = July 26, 2010 }}</ref>

On November 12, 2012, ALDOT's application for establishing I-22 was conditionally approved by the [[American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials]] (AASHTO) at a special committee, pending for the [[Mississippi Department of Transportation]] (MDOT) to submit their own application for I-22 and [[Federal Highway Administration]] (FHWA) approval. This therefore officially established the existence of I-22.<ref>{{AASHTO minutes|year=2012A|page=2|link=yes|access-date=September 23, 2014}}</ref>

In April 2013, the first actual I-22 shields were deployed in [[Marion County, Alabama]], immediately east of the Mississippi state line. Such signs will extend east at least through [[Walker County, Alabama|Walker County]] into the outskirts of Birmingham.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.mountaineagle.com/view/full_story/22151613/article-Interstate-22-signs-going-up |title = Interstate 22 Signs Going Up |work = Daily Mountain Eagle |location = Jasper, AL |date = April 4, 2013 |access-date = June 2, 2013 |archive-date = May 14, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130514233602/http://mountaineagle.com/view/full_story/22151613/article-Interstate-22-signs-going-up |url-status = dead }}</ref> On August 21, 2014, ALDOT reported that I-22's interchange with I-65 would not be completed until October 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2014/08/21/i-22-interchange-with-i-65-wont-be-completed-until.html |title = Interstate 22 Progress: I-65 Interchange with Corridor X Won't Be Completed Until at Least 2015 |date = August 22, 2014 |work = Birmingham Business Journal |access-date = September 25, 2014 }}</ref> The interchange's connections via exit&nbsp;95 to I-65 and the continuation under I-65 as exit&nbsp;95C at US&nbsp;31 remained under construction. In March 2016, the interchange with I-65 and continuation to US&nbsp;31 was still under construction. New lanes north and southbound were opened on I-65 passing through the interchange and construction and painting operations were carried out on the I-22 entrance and exit ramps.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/03/post_289.html |title = I-22 Interchange Construction Continues at I-65 near Fultondale |work = AL.com |date = March 7, 2016 |access-date = March 15, 2016 |author = Songer, Joe }}</ref> The interchange to I-65 opened to traffic on June 20, 2016, while the connector to US&nbsp;31 remained under construction.<ref>{{cite news |last = Yeager |first = Andrew |url = https://news.wbhm.org/feature/2016/interstate-22-interchange-opens-completing-link-to-mephis/ |title = Interstate 22 Interchange Opens Completing Link to Memphis |location = Birmingham, AL |publisher = WBHM |date = June 20, 2016 |access-date = June 21, 2016 }}</ref>

Mississippi officials announced May 5, 2015, that the state officially began the process to designate its portion as I-22. The two requirements to be able to apply for this designation were to upgrade the route to Interstate standards and to connect to an existing Interstate within 25&nbsp;years; this was completed when I-269 was opened in December 2017. The I-65 interchange was opened in October 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://djournal.com/news/mdot-to-apply-for-i-22-designation/ |title = Interstate 22 Designation Moving Nearer |work = Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal |access-date = May 7, 2015 |archive-date = May 8, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150508232532/http://djournal.com/news/mdot-to-apply-for-i-22-designation/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> The route was officially signed in Mississippi in a ceremony on October 23, 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title = Mississippi Ceremony Will Designate US 78 as I-22 |url = http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/suburbs/desoto/mississippi-ceremony-will-designate-us-78-as-i-22-2212cb8b-6f57-2a7f-e053-0100007ff4ab-332948601.html |work = Memphis Commercial Appeal |access-date = October 18, 2015 }}</ref>