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Birmingham

Started by Grzrd, September 23, 2010, 09:45:04 PM

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codyg1985

Quote from: Charles2 on July 17, 2017, 09:00:53 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on July 17, 2017, 07:57:18 AM
Quote from: Charles2 on July 15, 2017, 11:29:24 PM
Get ready for another exit ramp closure...

http://5920bridge.com/11th-avenue-north-exit-ramp-closure-in-birmingham/

I'm not sure how much of an impact this closure will have, except for morning commuters coming into downtown from the eastern part of the metro.  One rarely sees a lot of traffic on this particular ramp during the day.


The first major closure from Phase III...

I can hardly wait to hear people bellyaching and griping.  What gets me is how few people who live here in Birmingham know how to get around town without using 20, 59, 65 or 459.  When I was teaching my daughter how to drive I made sure that learned the surface streets here in town.

They are going to be in for a rude awakening come in a year or so for sure. Now knowing parallel surface streets to 31 and Finley will be valuable since those will be jammed once the 20/59 bridge closure is in effect.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States


Tourian

#201
It wont be as bad as that. It never is. Everybody knows it is coming and when it does everybody has a smartphone with NAV apps that can route you around it. Wether you live here or not you will find a way to get where you need to go. The people that live here and know all the back roads and alternates will continually do so to avoid the most popular detours.

Sure there will be complaining and whining and some early days of long delays. But there always is in everything of even the slightest implied inconvenience.

berberry

That I-20/59 project makes me feel old. I can remember going to Atlanta several times as a kid, and I remember that the whole route from Jackson to Atlanta was freeway, except through Birmingham. I think B'ham was the last large city in the South to get an Interstate freeway. And now it needs to be replaced. This is the only example of such a quick cycle from original construction to replacement of an urban interstate freeway that I can think of in a city I'm familiar with.

NE2

Quote from: berberry on July 18, 2017, 01:23:03 PM
That I-20/59 project makes me feel old. I can remember going to Atlanta several times as a kid, and I remember that the whole route from Jackson to Atlanta was freeway, except through Birmingham. I think B'ham was the last large city in the South to get an Interstate freeway.
St. Petersburg (opened 1977 north of downtown, not complete until 1983).
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Charles2


billpa

My first time in Alabama.  3 quick observations...
I-59 from the Georgia line to the Birmingham area could really use some modernization or at least some general improvements.

Going through Birmingham- I don't think I've seen so many cranes in one place at the same time. Impressive undertaking.

I-22 is great and lots of fun to drive.

SM-T230NU


Charles2

Quote from: billpa on December 23, 2017, 06:45:27 AM
My first time in Alabama.  3 quick observations...
I-59 from the Georgia line to the Birmingham area could really use some modernization or at least some general improvements.

Going through Birmingham- I don't think I've seen so many cranes in one place at the same time. Impressive undertaking.

I-22 is great and lots of fun to drive.

SM-T230NU

Without knowing the exact numbers, I would have to think that I-59 from the I-24 split to Gadsden is one of the least traveled stretches of interstate highway in either Georgia or Alabama.  That said, I would agree that I-59 needs widening in St. Clair County and eastern Jefferson County---say, from the U.S. 231 interchange (Ashville/Oneonta) to Oporto-Madrid Boulevard.  Eastern Jefferson County and western St. Clair County are growing suburban areas of the Birmingham metro area, and I-59 in tandem with I-75 and I-81 is part of an important corridor connecting the Southeast with points north and northeast.

billpa

Quote from: Charles2 on December 23, 2017, 11:01:59 PM
Quote from: billpa on December 23, 2017, 06:45:27 AM
My first time in Alabama.  3 quick observations...
I-59 from the Georgia line to the Birmingham area could really use some modernization or at least some general improvements.

Going through Birmingham- I don't think I've seen so many cranes in one place at the same time. Impressive undertaking.

I-22 is great and lots of fun to drive.

SM-T230NU

Without knowing the exact numbers, I would have to think that I-59 from the I-24 split to Gadsden is one of the least traveled stretches of interstate highway in either Georgia or Alabama.  That said, I would agree that I-59 needs widening in St. Clair County and eastern Jefferson County---say, from the U.S. 231 interchange (Ashville/Oneonta) to Oporto-Madrid Boulevard.  Eastern Jefferson County and western St. Clair County are growing suburban areas of the Birmingham metro area, and I-59 in tandem with I-75 and I-81 is part of an important corridor connecting the Southeast with points north and northeast.
That was our exact route,  81 to 40, 75, 24 and then 59. We were traveling on the Friday before Christmas so traffic was quite heavy,  especially in Knoxville and Chattanooga.
I was wondering how much love 59 in Georgia gets since it really just passes in and out pretty quickly.

SM-T230NU


cjk374

Quote from: billpa on December 24, 2017, 06:51:19 AM
Quote from: Charles2 on December 23, 2017, 11:01:59 PM
Quote from: billpa on December 23, 2017, 06:45:27 AM
My first time in Alabama.  3 quick observations...
I-59 from the Georgia line to the Birmingham area could really use some modernization or at least some general improvements.

Going through Birmingham- I don't think I've seen so many cranes in one place at the same time. Impressive undertaking.

I-22 is great and lots of fun to drive.

SM-T230NU

Without knowing the exact numbers, I would have to think that I-59 from the I-24 split to Gadsden is one of the least traveled stretches of interstate highway in either Georgia or Alabama.  That said, I would agree that I-59 needs widening in St. Clair County and eastern Jefferson County---say, from the U.S. 231 interchange (Ashville/Oneonta) to Oporto-Madrid Boulevard.  Eastern Jefferson County and western St. Clair County are growing suburban areas of the Birmingham metro area, and I-59 in tandem with I-75 and I-81 is part of an important corridor connecting the Southeast with points north and northeast.
That was our exact route,  81 to 40, 75, 24 and then 59. We were traveling on the Friday before Christmas so traffic was quite heavy,  especially in Knoxville and Chattanooga.
I was wondering how much love 59 in Georgia gets since it really just passes in and out pretty quickly.

SM-T230NU



59 in GA is good road. It is very rural, the traffic wasn't too terrible.
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

froggie

Quote from: Charles2 on December 23, 2017, 11:01:59 PM
Quote from: billpa on December 23, 2017, 06:45:27 AM
My first time in Alabama.  3 quick observations...
I-59 from the Georgia line to the Birmingham area could really use some modernization or at least some general improvements.

Going through Birmingham- I don't think I've seen so many cranes in one place at the same time. Impressive undertaking.

I-22 is great and lots of fun to drive.

SM-T230NU

Without knowing the exact numbers, I would have to think that I-59 from the I-24 split to Gadsden is one of the least traveled stretches of interstate highway in either Georgia or Alabama.  That said, I would agree that I-59 needs widening in St. Clair County and eastern Jefferson County---say, from the U.S. 231 interchange (Ashville/Oneonta) to Oporto-Madrid Boulevard.  Eastern Jefferson County and western St. Clair County are growing suburban areas of the Birmingham metro area, and I-59 in tandem with I-75 and I-81 is part of an important corridor connecting the Southeast with points north and northeast.

Excluding sections of the new I-22, I-59 near the Georgia line is indeed the lightest traveled Interstate segment in Alabama.  However, traffic volumes east of I-459 drop off quickly, so that it's below 30K vehicles a day once past Argo.  You can definitely justify widening from I-459 to the first exit east (Trussville).  But from there to Argo is questionable and definitely not once past Argo.  On a similar vein, traffic drops off in East Birmingham at the 1st Ave N exit (Exit 132) so likewise it would be a tough sell to widen between there and 459.

billpa

Just to clarify, I was not saying 59 in Northeast Alabama should be widened, just rehabilitated.

SM-T230NU


milbfan

Quote from: billpa on December 24, 2017, 11:15:51 AM
Just to clarify, I was not saying 59 in Northeast Alabama should be widened, just rehabilitated.

SM-T230NU

I used to drive that route a lot heading to TRI, TN.  Believe it or not, it's gone through some reconstruction/repaving from Gadsden up through Fort Payne within the last several years.  They redid the bridge there around mm 193, where US 11 crosses underneath, and closed down one side of the interstate for a long period of time to work on the other, ca. 2010-2011.

Theoretically somewhere just past that construction zone, there was another for repaving.  I don't know if that ever really materialized -- as I started to take that route less frequently -- or if the state troopers were enjoying a 30-mile speedtrap.

Tourian

Quote from: billpa on December 23, 2017, 06:45:27 AM
Going through Birmingham- I don't think I've seen so many cranes in one place at the same time. Impressive undertaking.

Agreed. It is a big monster of project that has lots going on in so many different areas at the same time, hard to see it all without at least a couple of trips through or more from several different directions.

Tom958

In case anyone here doesn't know, FreewayJim has released three new Birmingham videos. The last one includes the approach to Malfunction Junction from the west on 20-59, where they're doing some questionable things with the signage. I may post about it later on, after I've put my thoughts in order.

Voyager75

#214
Quote from: Tom958 on March 28, 2018, 08:05:44 PM
In case anyone here doesn't know, FreewayJim has released three new Birmingham videos. The last one includes the approach to Malfunction Junction from the west on 20-59, where they're doing some questionable things with the signage. I may post about it later on, after I've put my thoughts in order.

I went into downtown town yesterday and noticed some of the new signage in place. The new BGS installed before the junction on 20/59 North is atrocious. The 65 South shield is so small I could hardly read it. I pity a out of towner with bad eyesight. Just laziness with the sign printer as they didn't feel like resizing the shields to fit the size of the space available. Quality control is a foreign concept to ALDOT now. I assume that there will still be no indication of I-22 existing north of downtown after this project is complete.


All the new signage is being stored on a vacant lot on 16 St. North just under the 20/59 viaduct next to the Flowers bakery if any one wants to go check them out. I just caught a quick glimpse leaving town and saw the bottom half of a 65 North Huntsville section.


iPhone

Charles2

At least there is some semblance of signage going up on I-20/59 and parts of I-65.

I-22 has been open for nearly two years and the lack of consistency is laughable.  Reassurance markers vary from one exit to the next: I-22, I-22/US-78, I-22/US-78/AL-4.  Control cities vary: Memphis, Tupelo, Jasper...(Jasper? give me a break).  Services signs are inconsistent (granted, there are quite a few exits with no services).  Then, there are the distance signs between exits. Hardly any mention of Birmingham on WB I-22 until one is near Jasper, no mention of Tupelo or Memphis that I can recall.  If I didn't know better I would swear that the whole project was carried out by the Hooterville Sign Company.

rcm195

Some of you may have already seen, the southbound lanes and westbound lanes of 20/59 are closed till Saturday(hopefully) as one of the steel girders "˜slipped', that was being installed over the interstate at malfunction junction. I don't know for a fact but I'm assuming one of the outbound ramps under construction for 11th avenue north. Just be careful anyone going through there.

Tom958

New APL, Georgian in its level of screwed-uppedness, though I think that even GDOT hasn't made this particular mistake.This is very recent- - it's a still from the last of FreewayJim's new Birmingham videos. This APL replaces a fondly-regarded slatted installation with an outdated (but arguably easier to understand) design. The linked Streetview is from July 2016: the latest, from April 2017, shows no overhead at all.  :-o



The plot thickens: codyg1985 supplied this from the plans he'd downloaded. Correctly designed, incorrectly implemented. WTF?  :hmmm:

formulanone

That slatted-BGS overhead was in pristine shape, too. From August 2016:



Admittedly, while many of us like the old patchy looks of the previous signage, some of the nearby signs probably lacked anything close to current reflective standards and needed new sign gantries.

codyg1985

Quote from: rcm195 on April 06, 2018, 02:00:41 PM
Some of you may have already seen, the southbound lanes and westbound lanes of 20/59 are closed till Saturday(hopefully) as one of the steel girders "˜slipped', that was being installed over the interstate at malfunction junction. I don't know for a fact but I'm assuming one of the outbound ramps under construction for 11th avenue north. Just be careful anyone going through there.

The road is still closed until sometime next week. ALDOT is charging the contractor $500,000 per day for this mishap until the road reopens.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Charles2

Quote from: formulanone on April 08, 2018, 10:43:42 AM
That slatted-BGS overhead was in pristine shape, too. From August 2016:



Admittedly, while many of us like the old patchy looks of the previous signage, some of the nearby signs probably lacked anything close to current reflective standards and needed new sign gantries.

Note the change in exit numbers.  In anticipation of the new directo access to 6th Avenue North from I-20/59,the ramp to I-65 South is now Exit 124B, while the ramp to I-65 North is now Exit 125C.  The ramp to 17th Street will be re-designated as Exit 124D.  If I'm not mistaken, those will be the first exits in Alabama with C or D designations.

freebrickproductions

Quote from: Charles2 on April 08, 2018, 08:42:36 PM
Quote from: formulanone on April 08, 2018, 10:43:42 AM
That slatted-BGS overhead was in pristine shape, too. From August 2016:



Admittedly, while many of us like the old patchy looks of the previous signage, some of the nearby signs probably lacked anything close to current reflective standards and needed new sign gantries.

Note the change in exit numbers.  In anticipation of the new directo access to 6th Avenue North from I-20/59,the ramp to I-65 South is now Exit 124B, while the ramp to I-65 North is now Exit 125C.  The ramp to 17th Street will be re-designated as Exit 124D.  If I'm not mistaken, those will be the first exits in Alabama with C or D designations.
I-565 already has had an Exit 19C for eastbound traffic to downtown. But yea, probably the first exit to have a D designation for sure.
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)

Charles2

Looks like there's another BGS APL that isn't up to specs.

Today I was driving on I-65 SB just north of the 20/59 junction.  One of the new APL signs is up, but only the 20/59 E/N and I-65 S APL's are on the main sheet.  The 20/59 W/S sign hasn't been mounted, but it's obvious that it won't be part of the main sign.  Sorry I couldn't stop and take a picture.

sparker

Does anyone have the signage plans for WB 20/59 approaching I-65?  Are there going to be any BGS trailblazers for I-22 from at least WB 20/59 (likely deemed unnecessary from the opposite direction) -- or even NB I-65 approaching 20/59?  For a corridor that has been the regional developmental focus for the last decade, ALDOT seems, at least for the time being, to be disinterested in providing direction to I-22 from other nearby facilities.   

Voyager75

#224
Quote from: sparker on April 15, 2018, 01:57:01 AM
Does anyone have the signage plans for WB 20/59 approaching I-65?  Are there going to be any BGS trailblazers for I-22 from at least WB 20/59 (likely deemed unnecessary from the opposite direction) -- or even NB I-65 approaching 20/59?  For a corridor that has been the regional developmental focus for the last decade, ALDOT seems, at least for the time being, to be disinterested in providing direction to I-22 from other nearby facilities.   

Someone mentioned a long while back on the I-22 thread that there was no official signage in the plans. ALDOT still hasn't put any mention of I-22's existence on 65N until you get 3/4 of a mile from the 65/22 junction. The most expensive interchange in the state gets laughably ignored seems like.

This gantry was put up during the construction of the junction and widening of 65. I assume a I-22 1 Mile sign was to be in place to the right of the 65 North sign.



Southbound 65 signage is fine for the most part except for no updates to mileage signs for I-22.


iPhone



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