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Alabama

Started by codyg1985, November 02, 2011, 07:44:29 AM

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barcncpt44

ALDOT's Anniston Eastern Bypass has now seen several deadly wrecks at the bottom of the mountain with a traffic light and people around where I live are very upset.  I wrote this article about the details and possible solutions and it has gone viral and has been widely shared on Facebook.  https://geekalabama.com/2017/07/07/roadscapes-the-deadly-aldot-mentality-over-the-us-431-anniston-eastern-bypass/

A bland smile is like a green light at an intersection, it feels good when you get one, but you forget it the moment you're past it. -Doug Coupland


Gnutella

Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

barcncpt44

Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.

A bland smile is like a green light at an intersection, it feels good when you get one, but you forget it the moment you're past it. -Doug Coupland

freebrickproductions

Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

cjk374

Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

freebrickproductions

Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Well, it's entirely possible that during a road project many years ago, the contractor put up the assembly. Do you remember the exact street? Both roads at the bottom of the mountain on the left when you're heading northbound along US 431 don't have shields along them. I did find this though. :ded:
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

barcncpt44

Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 10:25:26 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Well, it's entirely possible that during a road project many years ago, the contractor put up the assembly. Do you remember the exact street? Both roads at the bottom of the mountain on the left when you're heading northbound along US 431 don't have shields along them. I did find this though. :ded:

Wow, burn that shield, just burn it!  Anyways, fun memories delivering for FedEx in the Guntersville area.

A bland smile is like a green light at an intersection, it feels good when you get one, but you forget it the moment you're past it. -Doug Coupland

freebrickproductions

Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 11:25:05 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 10:25:26 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Well, it's entirely possible that during a road project many years ago, the contractor put up the assembly. Do you remember the exact street? Both roads at the bottom of the mountain on the left when you're heading northbound along US 431 don't have shields along them. I did find this though. :ded:

Wow, burn that shield, just burn it!  Anyways, fun memories delivering for FedEx in the Guntersville area.
There's another pair of them for AL 33 in Moulton, and I want to say I saw a few in Montgomery last year. I also once saw some (fortunately covered up and now removed) temporary detour shields for AL 65 that appeared to be the same way.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

cjk374

Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 11:25:05 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 10:25:26 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Well, it's entirely possible that during a road project many years ago, the contractor put up the assembly. Do you remember the exact street? Both roads at the bottom of the mountain on the left when you're heading northbound along US 431 don't have shields along them. I did find this though. :ded:

Wow, burn that shield, just burn it!  Anyways, fun memories delivering for FedEx in the Guntersville area.

That looks like what would happen if AL & GA mated & had a baby.  :-D :ded:

If I gave my wife the right information, she said we turned onto old AL 205 off of US 431.
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

Voyager75

Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 09, 2017, 03:10:59 AM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 11:25:05 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 10:25:26 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Well, it's entirely possible that during a road project many years ago, the contractor put up the assembly. Do you remember the exact street? Both roads at the bottom of the mountain on the left when you're heading northbound along US 431 don't have shields along them. I did find this though. :ded:

Wow, burn that shield, just burn it!  Anyways, fun memories delivering for FedEx in the Guntersville area.
There's another pair of them for AL 33 in Moulton, and I want to say I saw a few in Montgomery last year. I also once saw some (fortunately covered up and now removed) temporary detour shields for AL 65 that appeared to be the same way.



The AL 119 shields at the US 280 intersection in Birmingham are the same way.
They were put up last year after the intersection was expanded.

codyg1985

Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).

I am thinking at one time that road may have been the former alignment of US 431 (or US 241, at it would have been at the time).
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

bdmoss88

Quote from: Voyager75 on July 11, 2017, 09:27:17 AM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 09, 2017, 03:10:59 AM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 11:25:05 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 10:25:26 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 08, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on July 08, 2017, 09:10:27 PM
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 08:11:46 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on July 08, 2017, 07:35:45 PM
Oh, joy. Last month I drove the segment of U.S. 431 from Dothan to Oxford, and next month I plan to drive the remainder of U.S. 431 from Oxford to Owensboro, KY. Are these intersections most dangerous driving northbound or southbound? I'll be driving northbound.

Southbound is more dangerous as it's going down the mountain.  Northbound is going uphill.  From Oxford to Huntsville there are a lot more up and down big hill climbs.  I think the best part of this part of US 431 is going through Guntersville.
It definitely is a very nice drive through Guntersville, though going over Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville is rather fun.

My wife is from Guntersville. It really is a beautiful drive through there once you get through Boaz & Albertville  (all 3 towns blend together to make one big city).

At the bottom of "the mountain" going into Guntersville, there is a road on the left. It has on old US 431 JCT assembly, yet the road is not currently a state Road (may have been in the past).
Well, it's entirely possible that during a road project many years ago, the contractor put up the assembly. Do you remember the exact street? Both roads at the bottom of the mountain on the left when you're heading northbound along US 431 don't have shields along them. I did find this though. :ded:

Wow, burn that shield, just burn it!  Anyways, fun memories delivering for FedEx in the Guntersville area.
There's another pair of them for AL 33 in Moulton, and I want to say I saw a few in Montgomery last year. I also once saw some (fortunately covered up and now removed) temporary detour shields for AL 65 that appeared to be the same way.



The AL 119 shields at the US 280 intersection in Birmingham are the same way.
They were put up last year after the intersection was expanded.
Maybe as they have gotten more and more 3 digit state routes above the 100's signed they came up with a wider pattern to fit those and are just using the wider one in all cases whether it's 2 or 3 digits?

codyg1985

Those are contractor installations and are not what ALDOT typically uses.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Voyager75

#313
Cullman's well documented use of their own style of signage is on full ??????? display on Co Road 490 from Cullman down to I-65 Exit 299 near Dodge City

Here it is designated as I-65 DETOUR in shield form:


And in case the locals don't know what a interstate shield is, here it is spelled out:


And instead of putting up a simple shield for Co Road 490, they just put it in sentence format:


Boggles the mind...

Charles2

Cullman County may have the worst signage in the state.  The decals on their county road shields look like the bought peel-on stickers at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Voyager75

#315
Quote from: Charles2 on July 12, 2017, 09:38:30 PM
Cullman County may have the worst signage in the state.  The decals on their county road shields look like the bought peel-on stickers at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Yes they do. Some of the stickers are black and white on the blue county shield for extra cheapness.
Here's a better pic of the unofficial I-65 "Detour" route in Cullman's Highway Font (Series Suck)
that also reminds you yet again that you're on Golf Course Road in letters so small that I had to find this sign in Google to actually read it. The "1" is one of the peel-off stickers I believe.


cjk374

Quote from: Voyager75 on July 13, 2017, 01:37:06 AM
Quote from: Charles2 on July 12, 2017, 09:38:30 PM
Cullman County may have the worst signage in the state.  The decals on their county road shields look like the bought peel-on stickers at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Yes they do. Some of the stickers are black and white on the blue county shield for extra cheapness.
Here's a better pic of the unofficial I-65 "Detour" route in Cullman's Highway Font (Series Suck)
that also reminds you yet again that you're on Golf Course Road in letters so small that I had to find this sign in Google to actually read it. The "1" is one of the peel-off stickers I believe.



At least the I-65 "shield" is non-neutered.   :) :spin:
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

codyg1985

Too bad this detour only bypasses a small portion of I-65. A great detour route needs to be posted to bypass the section between AL 69 and AL 91.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Voyager75

#318
More of the Wacky World of Cullman signage...



At the other end of I-65 Detour Co Road 490 You Are On Golf Course Road is this
"Bloated AL 31" sign nailed to the side of a pole as you approach US 31. There is no Stop sign much less a Railroad Crossing crossbuck at this spur track btw. Looks to still be in use...


I think we could start a Google Scavenger Hunt thread for Cullman to find the worst of the worst.

codyg1985

And there is this gem:

Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Brian556

Why is Cullman Co posting I-65 detour signage?

Normally that would be done by the I-65 contractor or their traffic control subcontractor if they are using one.

Voyager75

Quote from: Brian556 on July 13, 2017, 06:26:01 PM
Why is Cullman Co posting I-65 detour signage?

Normally that would be done by the I-65 contractor or their traffic control subcontractor if they are using one.

I'm taking it as Cullman's take on a Business Spur/Loop. Not a construction detour in this case as I don't remember any I-65 construction that required a detour.

barcncpt44

#322
Quote from: Voyager75 on July 13, 2017, 06:59:18 PM
Quote from: Brian556 on July 13, 2017, 06:26:01 PM
Why is Cullman Co posting I-65 detour signage?

Normally that would be done by the I-65 contractor or their traffic control subcontractor if they are using one.

With all the wrecks that happen on Alabama's Interstates, plus congestion, I am surprised ALDOT has not posted emergency Interstate detour signage by now.

I'm taking it as Cullman's take on a Business Spur/Loop. Not a construction detour in this case as I don't remember any I-65 construction that required a detour.

With all the wrecks that happen often on Alabama Interstates, i'm surprised ALDOT does not post emergency Interstate detour signage.  In most cases, it's go to the nearby parallel US route, but that is not always the case in some places.

A bland smile is like a green light at an intersection, it feels good when you get one, but you forget it the moment you're past it. -Doug Coupland

freebrickproductions

Quote from: Voyager75 on July 13, 2017, 10:46:04 AM
More of the Wacky World of Cullman signage...



At the other end of I-65 Detour Co Road 490 You Are On Golf Course Road is this
"Bloated AL 31" sign nailed to the side of a pole as you approach US 31. There is no Stop sign much less a Railroad Crossing crossbuck at this spur track btw. Looks to still be in use...
The spur track is actually out of service (pretty much overgrown at that crossing IIRC as well), but CSX hopes to restore service to it someday, from what I understand. I also posted a lot of Cullman's signage on the forum a while back:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11045.msg2128115#msg2128115

And if you're on Facebook and a member of the State and Local Road Reform group, I post more stuff from Cullman there as well.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

Voyager75

#324
Quote from: barcncpt44 on July 08, 2017, 05:59:28 PM
ALDOT's Anniston Eastern Bypass has now seen several deadly wrecks at the bottom of the mountain with a traffic light and people around where I live are very upset.  I wrote this article about the details and possible solutions and it has gone viral and has been widely shared on Facebook.  https://geekalabama.com/2017/07/07/roadscapes-the-deadly-aldot-mentality-over-the-us-431-anniston-eastern-bypass/

Anniston and ALDOT have now took action...(subscription may be required)

https://www.annistonstar.com/news/anniston/aldot-to-permanently-close-henry-road-left-turn-lane-onto/article_f5b2a204-6c8d-11e7-b404-073579f1ad24.html



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