Alabama Department of Transportation’s Tuscaloosa County I‑59/20 Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Upgrades mark a major advancement in work zone safety by leveraging technology to anticipate and prevent crashes. Central to the project is Alabama’s first Advanced Queue Detection System (AQDS), developed and deployed by ALDOT’s TSMO team to improve safety and mobility ahead of construction zones. Without AQDS, drivers often receive little warning of sudden congestion caused by work zone queues. AQDS uses real-time data from existing and enhanced intelligent transportation system assets to detect stopped or slow‑moving traffic and proactively warn drivers through dynamic message signs and traveler alerts. This predictive approach reduces the risk of rear‑end collisions and improves traffic flow – benefits that traditional signage and traffic control methods alone cannot achieve. The additional bridge funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allowed ALDOT to bundle 18 bridges into one bridge rehabilitation project and bring this new technology into action. With the bridge project costing $4.9 million and the installed technology costing less than $500,000, the technology brought a 25 percent reduction in crashes, more than eight minutes of delay reduced per trip, and nearly 10 percent lower wasted fuel costs. Additionally, since AQDS is portable and reusable, ALDOT can deploy it on future projects statewide, multiplying its return on investment and delivering lasting safety and economic benefits beyond a single corridor.