Old Tuscaloosa Widening and Turbo Roundabout

The Old Tuscaloosa Roundabout project brought vital corridor and intersection improvements to support the ongoing and future growth of the Jefferson Metropolitan Industrial Park. Designed to enhance access for major businesses like Smucker’s and Gulf Distributing, the project widened the rural, two-lane Old Tuscaloosa Highway into a four-lane roadway with a raised median, improving capacity and safety.

A key component of the project was the transformation of the intersection at Lowetown Road. What was once a simple stop-controlled T-intersection was reconfigured with two new access points and became the third Turbo Roundabout in the United States. This innovative design was chosen to address common challenges associated with multi-lane roundabouts. By incorporating channelized entry points and outward-spiraling traffic lanes, the Turbo Roundabout reduces conflict points and maintains safer speeds, providing a more efficient and controlled traffic flow.