Why is I-22 in Alabama So Undeveloped?

[bdmoss88]

I'm always intrigued by this Holiday Inn at exit 26...in the absolute middle of nowhere. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0123208,-87.8369896,1840m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

[formulanone]

I'm always intrigued by this Holiday Inn at exit 26...in the absolute middle of nowhere. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0123208,-87.8369896,1840m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

Having stayed a lot of small-town Holiday Inns before, that one is conveniently located in the middle of nowhere. Makes sense to have it by the busiest road in the area.

Amazingly, it's four stories tall (less-populated locations are 2-3 story hotels) and it has a dozen Tesla Superchargers. It's also not an Express, so no free breakfast...they have a restaurant, though.

[oscar]

^ There is a three-story Hampton Inn at exit 30, with free breakfast but apparently no Tesla Superchargers.

[lordsutch]

I think it is interesting I-22 is 3x3 lanes wide from I-65 to the AR-269 exit in Jasper. With that kind of capacity level that specific stretch of I-22 could sprout a lot of new service businesses near the exits.

Rural interstate AADT expectations for 3 lanes are lower, there's a relatively high truck split (which tends to push for more lanes, especially in rural areas), and the expectation was probably that Jasper would develop more as a commuter suburb... which really couldn't happen until the I-65 tie-in was completed years later than planned. People weren't going to move to Jasper to commute through the Graysville/Adamsville US 78 slog to I-20/59 (drive it today it's OK, but before I-22 was extended to I-65 it was clogged with trucks).

One factor that may also be affecting development is that there are still official maps that omit non-chargeable interstate mileage from the Interstate Highway System and related networks like the National Freight Highway System. The people at big companies that plan things like franchise development rely on national databases to make decisions, so if you're not on their map, you're not going to attract development. That may be why Pilot/FJ hasn't built anything except the two truck stops in Mississippi that long predate I-22 and there's no presence from TA/Petro, leaving the route to mostly Love's with four locations—soon to be five.

[vdeane]

there are still official maps that omit non-chargeable interstate mileage from the Interstate Highway System and related networks like the National Freight Highway System. The people at big companies that plan things like franchise development rely on national databases to make decisions, so if you're not on their map, you're not going to attract development.

Makes me question the whole "economic development" narrative for new interstates.  But what's the point in producing a map omitting non-chargeable mileage for anyone other than state DOTs, FHWA, or roadgeeks?

[bwana39]

I-30 in Texas and Arkansas were undeveloped until the past 15 years or so and they have been there for over 50. Pretty much if a freeway doesn't go through fairly decent sized towns, the development takes decades. If you build a road on a new path and skirt or altogether miss the towns, it is how it is.

Part of it has to to do with the lack of utilities out on the freeway exits. There may be electricity, but only 220VAC. THere may be  water, but not in a commercial volume. THere is likely not natural gas.

Despite the primary thrust of the services being for the highway, there is a lack of nearby residents to provide labor and local patronage.  Restaurants and convenience tend to need a certain amount of local resident sales. 

[Rothman]

I-30 in Texas and Arkansas were undeveloped until the past 15 years or so and they have been there for over 50. Pretty much if a freeway doesn't go through fairly decent sized towns, the development takes decades. If you build a road on a new path and skirt or altogether miss the towns, it is how it is.

Meh.  The development along I-79 in WV did take a while, but really less than two decades to see a significany increase.