Local officials have high hopes about an economic impact study released Monday that could greatly affect north Jefferson County.

Gardendale Mayor Othell Phillips was one of more than 20 mayors who attended a meeting Monday at the Harbert Center in Birmingham regarding the future Interstate 422, or the Northern Beltline.

The proposed road is a loop that would pass through north Jefferson County and roughly match the Interstate 459 loop south of Interstate 20/59.

“I believe that there is enough political and public momentum behind the Northern Beltline project to finally make it a reality,” said Phillips. “It will be a huge economic impact on Gardendale and the north Jefferson County area as a whole.”

The interstate will be 52 miles long. The economic impact, according to the study, is more than $7 billion. The project is expected to produce almost 70,000 jobs.

Dr. Sam Addy, director of the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research wrote the study. It was a collaboration of the Birmingham Business Alliance and the Coalition for Regional Transportation. To see the results of the study, visit  Gardendale’s website: www.cityofgardendale.com.