Interstate 22

[golden eagle]

Maybe this question was already asked and I'm too lazy to look, but has it been determined what control cities Alabama and Mississippi will use on I-22? At the western terminus, I could see Mississippi using both Tupelo and Birmingham, like the way I-55 uses Grenada/Memphis and McComb/New Orleans. However, I believe Alabama will only use Memphis.

Currently Tupelo is used on overhead pull-through signs from Jasper west in AL. Jasper is used as the control city for traffic entering at Coalburg Rd.

Eastbound the only city used on overheads is Birmingham, both in Mississippi (at MS 25 south) and Alabama.

There are covered signs already installed at the I-65 interchange; my assumption is that, like existing US 78 signs from the interstates in Birmingham, Memphis is the control city ALDOT has used.

I've seen lower case "p"'s peaking through some of the covered signs where wind gusts have loosened the covering.  Could it be Jasper?  Let's hope not.  Tupelo? A fairly logical choice.  Memphis? The obvious choice.  But remember: Alabama is the state that has trailblazers to I-20, I-59 and I-65 along every assurance marker for I-459.  (Never figured out why).  Alabama is also the state that uses Gadsden as the control city for I-59 heading northward out of Birmingham, rather than Chattanooga.

Maybe ALDOT thinks Gadsden is large enough to warrant it as a control city. Then again, Decatur is a larger city, but no control sign on I-65.

[SteveG1988]

The love's at jasper is fairly brand new, there is a pilot towards the western end of I-22 in MS. What they need is truck parking areas period. A nice large rest area along it would be nice.

[codyg1985]

Maybe this question was already asked and I'm too lazy to look, but has it been determined what control cities Alabama and Mississippi will use on I-22? At the western terminus, I could see Mississippi using both Tupelo and Birmingham, like the way I-55 uses Grenada/Memphis and McComb/New Orleans. However, I believe Alabama will only use Memphis.

Currently Tupelo is used on overhead pull-through signs from Jasper west in AL. Jasper is used as the control city for traffic entering at Coalburg Rd.

Eastbound the only city used on overheads is Birmingham, both in Mississippi (at MS 25 south) and Alabama.

There are covered signs already installed at the I-65 interchange; my assumption is that, like existing US 78 signs from the interstates in Birmingham, Memphis is the control city ALDOT has used.

I've seen lower case "p"'s peaking through some of the covered signs where wind gusts have loosened the covering.  Could it be Jasper?  Let's hope not.  Tupelo? A fairly logical choice.  Memphis? The obvious choice.  But remember: Alabama is the state that has trailblazers to I-20, I-59 and I-65 along every assurance marker for I-459.  (Never figured out why).  Alabama is also the state that uses Gadsden as the control city for I-59 heading northward out of Birmingham, rather than Chattanooga.

The signage plans I remember seeing for the I-65 interchange for I-22 West showed Memphis as the control city, but who knows if those plans have changed. I also hope it isn't Jasper.

The lack of mileage signs to the control cities and consistent control cities going west on I-22 is a big pet peeve of mine.

There are also signs at the interchanges for Exits 39, 46, and 52 that show the westbound control city for I-22 as Hamilton.

[jdb1234]

Maybe this question was already asked and I'm too lazy to look, but has it been determined what control cities Alabama and Mississippi will use on I-22? At the western terminus, I could see Mississippi using both Tupelo and Birmingham, like the way I-55 uses Grenada/Memphis and McComb/New Orleans. However, I believe Alabama will only use Memphis.

Currently Tupelo is used on overhead pull-through signs from Jasper west in AL. Jasper is used as the control city for traffic entering at Coalburg Rd.

Eastbound the only city used on overheads is Birmingham, both in Mississippi (at MS 25 south) and Alabama.

There are covered signs already installed at the I-65 interchange; my assumption is that, like existing US 78 signs from the interstates in Birmingham, Memphis is the control city ALDOT has used.

I've seen lower case "p"'s peaking through some of the covered signs where wind gusts have loosened the covering.  Could it be Jasper?  Let's hope not.  Tupelo? A fairly logical choice.  Memphis? The obvious choice.  But remember: Alabama is the state that has trailblazers to I-20, I-59 and I-65 along every assurance marker for I-459.  (Never figured out why).  Alabama is also the state that uses Gadsden as the control city for I-59 heading northward out of Birmingham, rather than Chattanooga.

The signage plans I remember seeing for the I-65 interchange for I-22 West showed Memphis as the control city, but who knows if those plans have changed. I also hope it isn't Jasper.

The lack of mileage signs to the control cities and consistent control cities going west on I-22 is a big pet peeve of mine.

There are also signs at the interchanges for Exits 39, 46, and 52 that show the westbound control city for I-22 as Hamilton.

Here is the perspective from US 31 South from Google Streetview:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5782336,-86.8052897,3a,75y,187.76h,81.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSxCtHsziTujPazPdFzbbMw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Note: I went through were on my way back from the Jasper meet.

[codyg1985]

^ That is an odd place for an I-22 BGS since you are going AWAY from the US 31/I-65 interchange at that point.

[NE2]

^ That is an odd place for an I-22 BGS since you are going AWAY from the US 31/I-65 interchange at that point.

You are going towards the direct access to I-22. But why is the sign on the left?

[ttownfeen]

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

[formulanone]

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

Besides being the more populous city, small sections of I-65 have been annexed by Huntsville, while none of Decatur's city limits touch I-65. Yes, Decatur is closer to the route, but so is Athens...doesn't quite justify it as a control city.

[freebrickproductions]

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

Besides being the more populous city, small sections of I-65 have been annexed by Huntsville, while none of Decatur's city limits touch I-65. Yes, Decatur is closer to the route, but so is Athens...doesn't quite justify it as a control city.

Decatur's city limits actually touch the I-65/I-565 interchange. IIRC, sign that syas you've entered Decatur City Limits on I-565 is underneath one of the overpasses for I-65.

[codyg1985]

http://www.huntsvilleal.gov/gis/gis_maps/pdfs/city_limits.pdf

[jdb1234]

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

Because I-65 originally used Nashville as a control city north of Birmingham

[formulanone]

http://www.huntsvilleal.gov/gis/gis_maps/pdfs/city_limits.pdf

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

Besides being the more populous city, small sections of I-65 have been annexed by Huntsville, while none of Decatur's city limits touch I-65. Yes, Decatur is closer to the route, but so is Athens...doesn't quite justify it as a control city.

Decatur's city limits actually touch the I-65/I-565 interchange. IIRC, sign that syas you've entered Decatur City Limits on I-565 is underneath one of the overpasses for I-65.

I didn't realize Decatur also sprawled out to the interstate (although nothing like Huntsville).

[ttownfeen]

Now that I think about it, I can see the logic of saying since 565 is meant to connect to the central business district of Huntsville in the same manner that 359 and 769 are meant to connect to the central business districts of Tuscaloosa and Gadsden, it should be used as the control city for that junction instead of Decatur.

[golden eagle]

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

Wouldn't Tuscaloosa being a control city have more to do with being the flagship campus of the University of Alabama?

[codyg1985]

Gadsden is used as the control city for 59 N in B'ham because there an interstate highway junction (759 *snort*) there. It's the same reason Tusaloosa is used for 20 W/59 S - the 359 junction - instead of Meridian. Now why that same logic isn't applied to Decatur for 65 N is something you'd have to ask ALDOT.

Wouldn't Tuscaloosa being a control city have more to do with being the flagship campus of the University of Alabama?

Perhaps, but the same treatment isn't given for Auburn/Opelika on I-85.

[MikeTheActuary]

Wouldn't Tuscaloosa being a control city have more to do with being the flagship campus of the University of Alabama?

Perhaps, but the same treatment isn't given for Auburn/Opelika on I-85.

The DOT isn't immune to expressions of bias when it comes to certain intrastate rivalries.

Folks who have not spent a certain amount of time in Alabama cannot possibly fathom just how deep feelings about the Alabama/Auburn rivalry runs in that state.   These days, when an Alabaman speaks about the tragedy of a mixed marriage, they aren't referring to skin color....

[ttownfeen]

Yes, well in this case I think they were just following the AASHTO control city standard of using next interstate crossing.

[golden eagle]

Tuscaloosa is also significantly larger than Meridian (95K people vs. 41K), so for westbound 20/59, it wouldn't make a lot of sense to pass over Tuscaloosa as a control city.

[clong]

Drove thru the I-22/I-65 junction area yesterday. It was the first time I had been thru since November.

They have made significant progress. Here are the big items I saw that need to be completed to finish the junction:
Walls and tie-in on the 65 end of the I-22 East to I-65 South ramp
Final surface on the last mainline lane or two of I-65 North so traffic can be shifted again off the C/D lanes
Some underwork and painting on the I-22 East to I-65 North ramp
Ramp tie-in on the 31 to I-65 North ramp

Those were the main things I saw, but it seems like something that can be accomplished in a few months. I didn't get a good look at the I-65 South to I-22 West ramp, which is one that I know had been mentioned in media reports as being incomplete.

[codyg1985]

The bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad for the I-65 South to I-22 West ramp has been completed for a while. However, I am not sure if there has been any progress made on the approaches.

[freebrickproductions]

I drove through the I-22/AL 13 interchange yesterday, but didn't see any I-22 shields posted.

[codyg1985]

I'm surprised. The ALDOT Jasper District (which is who covers that area) recently went through and essentially did a "Find and Replace" for all US 78 shields at the I-22 interchanges.

[Buck87]

Drove thru the I-22/I-65 junction area yesterday. It was the first time I had been thru since November.

They have made significant progress. Here are the big items I saw that need to be completed to finish the junction:
Walls and tie-in on the 65 end of the I-22 East to I-65 South ramp
Final surface on the last mainline lane or two of I-65 North so traffic can be shifted again off the C/D lanes
Some underwork and painting on the I-22 East to I-65 North ramp
Ramp tie-in on the 31 to I-65 North ramp

Those were the main things I saw, but it seems like something that can be accomplished in a few months. I didn't get a good look at the I-65 South to I-22 West ramp, which is one that I know had been mentioned in media reports as being incomplete.

Thanks for that description. I drove through there for the first time last week, and there was so much to take in it was hard to get a grip on just how much was left. It was nice to see all the bridges in place.

[codyg1985]

The contractor really made great strides in 2015. Each time I drove through there I noticed something new, and I was through there about every other month.

[rcm195]

Just echoing everyone else's thoughts. Drove through there myself today. Got to ride on the southbound lanes of I-65 for the first time. It does appear the control signs covered up will say Memphis.

The bridge that appears to be the most behind is the ramp from US 31 connecting north to I-65.