Passed through Mobile and Baldwin Counties in Lower Alabama for the first time in 4 years two weeks ago. Some observations:
The Buc-ee's built by the diamond interchange joining the Baldwin Beach Express (BBE) with Interstate 10 has resulted in so much congestion that traffic lights were added for the westbound exit ramp from I-10 to the BBE and along the BBE at CR 64 (900 feet's worth is now Buc-ee's Boulevard), just south of the exchange:
https://www.fox10tv.com/news/baldwin_county/changes-coming-to-baldwin-beach-express-buc-ees-exit-to-help-alleviate-traffic/article_960c3984-5270-11ea-8629-8fb54ffd1aa2.htmlFurthermore the eastbound exit ramp is in the process of being expanded specifically to service Buc-ee's, with Buc-ee's covering the cost:
https://mynbc15.com/news/local/buc-ees-road-project-aims-to-relieve-traffic-headache-at-no-cost-to-taxpayers
A new APL for Exit 49 from Interstate 10 eastbound.I was amazed at how much traffic got off at that exit on Friday. It used to be once you got east past SR 59, traffic opened up. This is likely to increase, as in addition to the traffic generated by the Buc-ee's, land at two of the other quadrants of the interchange are zoned as a "Commercial District" per the Baldwin County GIS Viewer.
Two of the three signs replaced in kind for Exit 38/SR 181 on I-10 eastbound are missing exit tabs.
Someone definitely dusted off the old sign plans again, as US 31 was added back on guide signage on I-10 westbound for Exit 30! The last time US 31 was signed here was the mid 1990s. No photos as it was at night. Signs along eastbound remain unchanged.
US 90 along Bay Bridge Road was renamed Africatown Boulevard by Mobile City Council back in 2016. Sign changes have finally beed made for this, including some really bad "greenouts" on the slotted overheads for US 90 on I-165 southbound. Saw these at night in the opposite direction, so unfortunately I did not get any photos.
While it was raining and dark, I could see the reflection of regulatory signs for the SR 158 Extension/Future US 98 beyond the turn off south onto Newburn Road. So that stretch appears to be ready for traffic. Taking SR 217 to the southwest, there's a long elevated section of SR 158 now in place. The overpass that will take US 98 over CR 27 (McCrary Road) however has a way to go from what I could tell.
CR 63 on Wilmer Georgetown Road is closed for work on the new US 98. The ALDOT site on the project indicated that an interchange is being built there. Last I checked, it was just a one quadrant interchange.
Heading back east on I-10, expansion of the six lane section is underway west from the Carol Plantation Road overpass to the diamond interchange with CR 30/Theodore Daws Road. The
second diagrammatic in each direction for I-65 on I-10 were both replaced with separate panels:
It appears that arrows are no longer necessary...Really dumb carbon copy for Exit 1 / US 90 on I-65 northbound where Government Boulevard is still abbreviated as "Govt Blvd". Are we still trying to save space here for something?
The only signs changed at the south end of Interstate 65 are the set at the gore point for Exit 0. The respective control points of Florida and Mississippi were replaced with Pensacola and Pensacola, er Pascagoula.
The Wallace Tunnel was backed up as expected, so diverted at Virginia Avenue and headed north to US 98 along Govt Boulevard. Construction added a planted median in place of the continuous center turn lane along Broad Street. A roundabout was built in place of the intersection at Broad and Canal Streets as well.
North of Govt Boulevard, Broad Street is completely closed for a
road diet project. There are no detour signs in place for US 90 or US 98, but the
overhead assembly is still posted on Govt Boulevard east for US 90's continuation onto Broad Street north. Received no response, but I emailed ALDOT asking if they were going to apply to AASHTO for the realignment of US 98 onto the Wilmer/Semmes Bypass, and also about potential reailgnments of both US 98 and US 90 due to the rebuild of Broad and Beauregard Streets.
Conjecture here, but I imagine that US 98 will be realigned onto overlaps with I-65 and I-165 south to Bay Bridge Rd/Africatown Boulevard, and over US 90 south to Battleship Parkway. This would eliminate US 98 along Moffett Road and Spring Hill Avenue east to Broad Street. Furthermore US 90 would then overtake US 98 along Government Street and through the Bankhead Tunnel. This would allow the city of Mobile to take over maintenance for both Broad and Beauregard Streets along the Henry Arron Loop. US 45 would likely be truncated north to I-65, or perhaps SR 158/US 98, but I have no idea of what they might do with it should the other scenarios play out.
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Topic: Mobile-Baldwin (Read 232938 times)