Textbook reason why Birmingham is screwed up

After watching this video from "Blueprint America" on PBS courtesy of New York affiliate, WNET, I can see why Birmingham is so screwed on an infrastructural standpoint. Lobbyists like Business Alliance for Responsible Development (BARD) manipulating regional organizations like the Birmingham Business Alliance, Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) on things that affect us the most like highway layouts and transportation infrastructure. Why in the world would ALDOT allow the planned route of the "Northern Beltine" as it dubbed going straight through parts of the Birmingham that is environmentally sensitive and unnecessary. The original route of the northern belt was suppose to connect with I-459 at both ends; instead, it only connects on the western portion and the eastern portion connects in the middle of nowhere near Clay. They have the audacity want to continue it own into Saint Clair County to connect to I-20. Map of route is here .