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Huntsville

Started by Real Life Guitar Hero, January 26, 2009, 02:35:57 PM

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freebrickproductions

Some of downtown Huntsville's one-way streets becoming two-way

http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/11/downtown_huntsvilles_one-way_s.html

QuoteHuntsville is beginning to experiment with turning some of its downtown one-way avenues back to two-way traffic. One of the busiest — Clinton Avenue — is poised to make the change over the next few weeks.

"It's time to change some of our philosophies for downtown," Mayor Tommy Battle said this week. "This is part of that strategy."

It's a big first step, but this needs noting up front: Two streets won't change. Jefferson and Washington streets, which feed traffic to and from downtown and Interstate 565, will stay one-way.

Downtown's one-way streets developed when the center city was a place you drove through, not to. One-way avenues like Clinton and Holmes smoothly moved east side residential traffic to and from Cummings Research Park, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and other western destinations.

But Battle wants "boots on the ground downtown," as he put it. His plan was to get people living downtown, then restaurants, then retail.

It's coming together now and picking up speed. New stores, apartments and mixed use developments are joining existing restaurants and shops, and more are coming in the next two years.

Making streets two-way is "recognizing that the more people moving into downtown, the more accessible you want it to be," city planner Dennis Madsen said this week. "One-way streets can be confusing. They were designed to move traffic quickly. (Two-way) does tend to slow people down, make it safer."

Drivers intuitively slow down when facing opposing traffic, Madsen said, and that also gives drivers a chance to see new new store windows and places to eat and drink.

The city will move slowly. West-bound traffic lights are up but covered on Clinton Avenue. If Clinton works smoothly, Madsen said Holmes Avenue will be next. After that, the city will consider turning Greene and Lincoln streets two-way. "It's going to take time," Madsen said. "We want to see how they're working first."

Madsen said planners call this "tactical urbanism" — incremental changes to make existing downtowns friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists. "It's a misconception (today) that you can design a road for only one mode," he said.

Battle said the changes are "part of making a community." People don't want to live in big, anonymous places, he said. "You want to be part of a community you can identify with," he said, "friends you know, your next-door neighbor."

Battle also sees "downtown" extending beyond the core city near the Courthouse Square. "It's really a 3- to 5-mile area that's part of that community," he said, including the Medical District and adjoining neighborhoods to the south and the Meridian Street corridor to the north.
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)


freebrickproductions

Orange barrel décor: South Parkway overpass work gets underway in Huntsville

http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/12/orange_barrel_decor_south_park.html

QuoteThe good news is that, in about 3½ years, it will all be over.

The bad news is those 3½ years.

Roadwork on the new overpasses on South Memorial Parkway was underway Monday with all the usual traits: Slow-moving traffic, orange barrels and reduced lanes to travel.

Overpasses will be built at Byrd Spring Road as well as Lily Flagg Road/Logan Drive along with a major upgrade to the Martin Road overpass. The price tag is expected to be about $54 million.

The project is scheduled to be completed by June 2019.

It's expected that the project will be completed quicker than the Weatherly Road overpass. The service roads and the overpasses took more than four years to complete.
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)

freebrickproductions

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)

freebrickproductions

Memorial Parkway/Martin Road interchange ramp closed for two years
http://whnt.com/2016/01/01/memorial-parkway-martin-road-interchange-ramp-closed-for-two-years/
Quote


HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) —  Memorial Parkway commuters see more orange barrels and construction equipment at the Martin Road interchange. If you're headed back to work on the Arsenal in the coming days, pay close attention because these changes will impact you and likely cause delays.

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) made a number of changes as part of the South Memorial Parkway improvements project.

Ramp from NB Memorial Parkway to Martin Road and part of EB Martin Road west of the Parkway have been closed

EB Martin Road traffic has been shifted to the inside WB lane

Detour for NB Parkway drivers trying to get to WB Martin is the service road U-turn loop at Golf Road

Ramp from EB Martin to NB Parkway will close in two weeks; at that time, contractors will open a temporary ramp allowing traffic from Martin to NB Memorial Parkway
So if you're headed north on the Parkway trying to get on the Arsenal, you have to pass where the Martin Road turn once was, continue north, turn around at the Golf Road loop, heading south on Parkway access road, and get on Martin Road westbound that way.

Drivers are encouraged to pay extra attention to the signs and barricades in the area to stay abreast of the best way to your destination.

Closures will remain in place until December 2017 when the first phase of the project is complete. That first phase will see service roads between Golf Road and Whitesburg Drive and improve the bridge and interchange at Martin Road.

The second phase will bring overpasses at Byrd Spring Road and Lily Flagg, that is set to be complete in June 2019.
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)

freebrickproductions

Just out of curiosity, how many traffic signals here in Huntsville have the street signs mounted on the sides of the poles rather than on the overhead arms/span wires?
I know about these ones already:
Marshuetz Avenue, Whitesburg Drive, and Franklin Street
Whitesburg Drive and California Street
Church Street and Pratt Avenue
Clinton Avenue and Governors Drive (though these are actually mounted on the street lamps rather than the mast-arm itself)

Does anyone know of any others?
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)

Alex

What is the status of the U.S. 72 construction at Moores Mill and Shields Roads east of the I-565 end? The last news article I could find on it indicated that work would wrap up this month.

codyg1985

It is almost done. The left most lane of the triple left from EB US 72 to NB Moores Mill Road is not open yet, but everything else is done except for final striping.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

freebrickproductions

The Davis Circle extension is now open, so now you can go directly from the traffic circle next to the library in downtown to Pelham Avenue:
Davis Circle Extension by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Davis Circle Extension by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Davis Circle Extension by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Davis Circle Extension by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Also, here's an update on the Martin Road overpass construction along Memorial Parkway, as well as other photos of the road work along the Parkway:
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Martin Road Overpass Construction 4-16-16 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Also, for those of you who are curious, the triple left turn lanes on US 72 east of I-565 are all open now:
Triple Left Turn by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
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)

Tom958

Damn, those Redstone Arsenal BGS's got hit with the ugly stick!  :no:

codyg1985

Quote from: Tom958 on April 17, 2016, 03:13:03 PM
Damn, those Redstone Arsenal BGS's got hit with the ugly stick!  :no:


ALDOT sometimes makes the first letter much larger than the rest of the letters. Mostly on Clearview, but I have also seen it on FHWA as well.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

freebrickproductions

Huntsville is beginning to post these signs along the bike routes, replacing the "Bikes Share the Road" signs that used to be mounted on the poles:
New Signage by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New Signage by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New Signage by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Also, the first part of Dr. Joseph Lowery Boulevard (from Governors Drive to Pelham Avenue) will open tomorrow at 10 AM with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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)

jdb1234

Headed to Huntsville tomorrow.  Other than the Memorial Parkway widening, anything else interesting worth checking out?

bigdave

Quote from: jdb1234 on May 12, 2016, 05:20:17 PM
Headed to Huntsville tomorrow.  Other than the Memorial Parkway widening, anything else interesting worth checking out?
The Zierdt Road widening is kind of interesting, some done, some started, some untouched.  :cool:

David

codyg1985

The project to revamp US 72 from Maysville Road to Shields Road is complete, so that may be worth checking out.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

freebrickproductions

There was also a new road, named Dr. Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, that had the first half built recently. It comes off of US 431 (Governors Drive). Also, there's some button copy on the western end of Governors Drive still, last I checked.
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)

capt.ron

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 13, 2016, 08:10:58 AM
The project to revamp US 72 from Maysville Road to Shields Road is complete, so that may be worth checking out.
Have the plan to extend I-565 to Shields Rd been scrapped or on the back burner?

codyg1985

Yep, due to lack of money. What bothers me is that a Mapco has recently been built off of US 72 just past Moores Mill Road. That will surely encroach on where frontage road was going to be.

What is there now is a band-aid solution. I am not sure yet how much better it moves traffic. In the mornings it certainly helps, but the evenings I am not so sure yet.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

capt.ron

If push comes to shove, there is barely enough room for an overpass on Moores Mill Rd, provided that the bridge be 100 feet or so west of the current street. Of course, the interchange would be sub-interstate quality.

codyg1985

Quote from: capt.ron on May 17, 2016, 12:20:41 PM
If push comes to shove, there is barely enough room for an overpass on Moores Mill Rd, provided that the bridge be 100 feet or so west of the current street. Of course, the interchange would be sub-interstate quality.

The interchange proposals back from late 2000's and early 2010's indicated an interchange that could possibly pass as interstate grade. They could probably achieve it still, but it would be tighter and still require lots of ROW.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

rte66man

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 17, 2016, 07:34:18 PM
Quote from: capt.ron on May 17, 2016, 12:20:41 PM
If push comes to shove, there is barely enough room for an overpass on Moores Mill Rd, provided that the bridge be 100 feet or so west of the current street. Of course, the interchange would be sub-interstate quality.

The interchange proposals back from late 2000's and early 2010's indicated an interchange that could possibly pass as interstate grade. They could probably achieve it still, but it would be tighter and still require lots of ROW.

What about something like this?

2016-05-27_17-01-25 by rte66man, on Flickr
When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra

codyg1985

^ The proposals called for something that resembled a hybrid between I-565 and Sparkman/Bob Wallace/Madison Pike and the interchanges along AL 255 north of US 72. It wasn't like what you are suggesting.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

rte66man

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 29, 2016, 09:46:18 PM
^ The proposals called for something that resembled a hybrid between I-565 and Sparkman/Bob Wallace/Madison Pike and the interchanges along AL 255 north of US 72. It wasn't like what you are suggesting.

AL255 interchange:


I565 at Sparkman:


Is ALDOT locked into either of these?  I like my idea better.  Less ROW issues.

When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra

codyg1985

Right now I am not sure. They may go back to the drawing board, especially if development continues along the corridor.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

freebrickproductions

Phases II and III of the Zierdt Road widening were consolidated into one, but that has also put it on hold until July 2017.
Source:
http://www.huntsvillempo.org/maps/
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)

freebrickproductions

A bit of a bump, but the intersection of L&N Drive and Eagletree Lane has been converted into a 4-way stop.
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)



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