The Alabama Department of Transportation has announced two actions in the upcoming week that will have an effect on commuters throughout north Jefferson and south Blount counties.

On Friday, ALDOT workers will shift lanes of traffic on Alabama 79 north of Pinson over to newly-constructed pavement. This shift, which will be in place for several months, will allow workers to widen 79 at the entrance to the new Northern Beltline expressway, the first phase of which is being built near the Palmerdale community.

Friday’s lane shift will begin at 8 a.m. and last until 4 p.m. Motorists should expect delays during that time in both directions.

On Thursday night, Dec. 17, and into early Friday morning, ALDOT will conduct rolling roadblocks that will allow workers to perform blasting on Interstate 65 path through the interchange with the new Interstate 22 south of Fultondale.

The roadblocks will be in the southbound lanes beginning two miles north of Walker Chapel Road. They will take place at various times between 7 p.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday.

The work is part of the latest construction phase, which will move traffic onto the new permanent lanes through the interchange.