ALDOT study examines possible two-mile State Route 35 realignment in Fort Payne

A feasibility study is examining whether State Route 35 could be realigned through the area surrounding Fort Payne, a step that could influence the city’s long-term traffic patterns, right-of-way planning and access for residents and businesses.

The Alabama Department of Transportation is conducting the study with the Federal Highway Administration on behalf of the City of Fort Payne. ALDOT’s project information identifies the study area as Fort Payne in DeKalb County.

What the study covers

The project is described in Alabama’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program as a feasibility study for a possible realignment of SR-35. The listed corridor length is approximately two miles.

At this stage, the work is examining whether a future realignment could be feasible. The approved project information does not identify a preferred alignment, and it does not provide a construction schedule.

That distinction matters for people who use or operate along the current route. The study could shape future decisions about traffic movement, property access and right-of-way planning, but it does not mean that a road relocation has been approved or that immediate lane closures are planned.

Public comments and project funding

Public comments on the study were due Friday, June 12, 2026. The project event is dated June 12, 2026, the same date listed as the comment deadline.

The statewide transportation program lists an estimated total project cost of $1.25 million for the study and program entry. That amount includes $1 million in federal funds and $250,000 in other funds.

The listed cost is for the feasibility study and related program entry, not a confirmed construction budget. The documents supplied for this report do not establish that construction has been approved.

What happens next

The next known step is the study itself: ALDOT and FHWA will evaluate the area surrounding Fort Payne on behalf of the city. The approved sources do not identify a final route, a decision date or a timetable for construction.

For now, the project represents planning for a possible future transportation corridor rather than a finalized road project. Any later alignment, right-of-way action or construction decision would need to be identified through subsequent project steps.