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Interstate 22

Started by Snappyjack, January 26, 2009, 11:56:04 PM

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Alps

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 14, 2011, 06:56:22 PM
Just a minor sidenote: the speed limit of I-22 in Alabama has been raised from 65 to 70.
I would have thought that would only happen once it connects to I-65 and loses "Future" status?


jdb1234

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 14, 2011, 06:56:22 PM
Just a minor sidenote: the speed limit of I-22 in Alabama has been raised from 65 to 70.

From what I understand, only in Marion and Walker counties.

Grzrd

This article has a photo with an aerial view of the I-22/I-65 interchange construction:

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/print-edition/2011/06/10/deals-on-wheels.html

mgk920

#228
^^
I see in that image that it looks (almost?) like I-22 is planned to continue on past I-65, perhaps to connect with I-29/59 at the curve by the airport.  Now, if that large cemetery wasn't there, I could easily see I-22 being extended to feed directly into I-20 east at its I-59 split, including a majorly improved connection with the main access road for the airport terminal.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=33.556703,-86.789761&spn=0.083113,0.175781&z=13

Is there any truth to this observation?

Mike

froggie

This has probably been mentioned upthread, but I-22 as currently planned/under construction will end at US 31.  About 10 years ago, the regional MPO added a feasibility study to the LRTP to consider extending I-22 to I-20/59, but to my knowledge that study has not happened yet.

Grzrd

MDOT has recently provided updates to two US 78 upgrade to Interstate 22 projects.  One is anticipated to be completed in 2012 and the other is anticipated to be completed in 2013:
http://www.gomdot.com/Home/MediaRoom/newsreleases/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?ID=815201194811

Grzrd

#231
Recent article discusses Cambridge Systematics study of upgrade options for Lamar Avenue.  Three primary options (with estimated cost) are as follows: (1) build interchanges at Holmes and Winchester Roads and Shelby Drive, leaving Lamar at 4 lanes ($213.2 million), (2) build interchanges at Holmes and Winchester Roads and Shelby Drive, expanding Lamar to 6 lanes ($275.1 million), and (3) fully upgrade Lamar to I-22 ($637.9 million).  Here is link:
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/aug/26/unlocking-lamar-planners-mull-ways-to-improve-transportation-corridor/

Quote
The city's major corridor for moving freight is also the city's most congested roadway. And since June, state and local transportation and logistics planners have had a study that suggests a set of seven options, most of which would represent major changes for Lamar Avenue between the Mississippi state line and Interstate 240.
The study, completed by Cambridge Systematics Inc. of Cambridge, Mass., in association with the University of Memphis and Kimley-Horn & Associates, was commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
From the study TDOT officials are looking closely at options that would replace the Lamar intersections at Holmes and Winchester roads and Shelby Drive with interchanges, said Martin Lipinski, University of Memphis civil engineering professor and director of the U of M Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute.
"For us to continue to be one of the premier warehouse distribution centers in the country, these industries need better access and more reliable access to their facilities,"  he said. "Just the unreliability of congestion is a factor that concerns everyone interested in economic development in this community."
The stretch of Lamar is critical to the logistics industry. It includes the BNSF Railway Co. intermodal yard and is within five miles of Memphis International Airport.
There are so many trucking and logistics companies on Lamar that diverting traffic to other streets isn't seen as effective enough to put a dent in the congestion.
The estimated cost of improving the three interchanges with Lamar remaining at four lanes is $213.2 million. Improving the interchanges and converting Lamar to a six-lane roadway goes up to $275.1 million.
The costliest option would be upgrading Lamar to an interstate. The study pegs the cost of that at approximately $637.9 million.
"I don't think the analysis of that even really touched on the true cost of all of the right of way,"  Lipinski said. "How do you create an interstate and still maintain access to all businesses?"
That's also an issue with the construction of any interchanges.
"We have difficulty in dealing with purchasing of land, right-of-way cost and more importantly what do you do in the meantime when you are building something like this,"  Lipinski said. "How do you stage things so that you don't actually shut down Lamar for 18 months while you are doing that? These are kind of the issues that are being digested back and forth."
The study, which Lipinski contributed to, noted the interchanges are key to cutting average delays. The estimate is that converting Lamar to six lanes with the three improved interchanges provides "the best performance of the non-interstate alternatives"  with 3.3 minutes of average delay in the simulation used to time out delays.
Leaving Lamar at four lanes with the three interchanges has a 4.4-minute average delay.
In the middle is converting Lamar to six lanes and improving only the interchanges at Winchester and Shelby. The average delay for that option is four minutes and the cost is $248.9 million.
Such time measurements are crucial to logistics companies that operate on tight schedules and need consistency.
"If one day it takes five minutes, the next day it takes a half hour — that's a real cost to them and they can't schedule properly,"  Lipinski said. "Then you have who is paying for this and that is the taxpayers through TDOT. Then you get into a bind of what is cost effective from the taxpayer's perspective."
The Cambridge study is called a final study, but that's a fluid term in road planning where a final study is often followed by years of public hearings and gaps of months between the hearings.
TDOT wants the Metropolitan Planning Organization, government leaders, those in the logistics industry and other citizens to prioritize what they would like to see on Lamar Avenue.
Lamar always has been a freight corridor since there was a freight business that wasn't exclusively rail based. But the business has changed rapidly in 30 years.
Containers shipped by boat that first move on the continent by rail and are then put on truck beds are expected to grow in volume with the coming expansion of the Panama Canal making some East Coast ports more important and much busier.
Memphis will feel the impact, which means Lamar Avenue will as well.
"In an old traditional freight yard 30 years ago there was not much truck traffic coming in and out,"  Lipinski said referring to the BNSF intermodal facility's origins as a more traditional freight yard. "Now with the switch to intermodal, with all of these containers coming in (by rail) from Long Beach (Calif.), and Seattle and points West which are then put on rubber tires and put on the street system, it created a whole new level of demand."

Tourian

#232
Gee whiz. Memphis is still in the talking/study/analysis phase and Birmingham is well into the moving dirt and pouring concrete phase. I drove by it again a couple of days ago after not seeing it for a few months and was well pleased at the progress and the amount of activity. It wasn't the one backhoe with ten guys standing around watching scene I half expected, but a full scale operation with heavy equipment going at full tilt.

codyg1985

I guess the Memphis leadership didn't really think that Alabama would get its act together on US 78 anytime soon, so they really didn't see a need to press forward. Plus, there has been a lot more truck traffic along Lamar Ave thanks to the new BNSF intermodal facility.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

froggie

Regarding the last two posts, it should be noted that Alabama did its planning long ago, and has only been waiting for money for construction.  And that planning was long before the concept of making the corridor an Interstate came up.

Grzrd

I have not seen a copy of the study, but looking at a map,
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=lamar+avenue+memphis+tn&hl=en&ll=35.025217,-89.90696&spn=0.07113,0.109692&sll=37.932385,-95.576452&sspn=34.851264,56.162109&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=13,
moving northward from the Mississippi state line to the airport, there currently exist an intersection at Davidson, an intersection at Holmes, an intersection at Shelby, a currently existing interchange at Perkins, and an intersection at Winchester.  I assume the plan would involve closing the intersection at Davidson.

To reduce it to simple roadgeek terms, it looks like the choice for the Memphis civic leaders will be to prioritize their overall needs to decide between an I-x22 from the Mississippi state line to the airport or a full-blown I-22 to I-240 at approximately 2.5x the cost of the I-x22 option.  It looks to me like they are trending toward the I-x22 option.


Grzrd

#236
Quote from: Grzrd on August 28, 2011, 03:08:22 PM
Recent article discusses Cambridge Systematics study of upgrade options for Lamar Avenue.

Here is a link to the Cambridge Systematics/TDOT study of the Lamar Corridor:
http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/documents/LamarAvenueCorridor_June2011.pdf

Extending I-22 along Lamar Avenue would provide the most traffic relief [page 8-12 of study; page 70/81 of pdf]:

Quote
Upgrading Lamar Avenue to an Interstate provides the most traffic relief benefits for Lamar Avenue. It reduces delay the most both for Lamar Avenue and for the study area as a whole. It also provides the lowest travel time for traveling the entire length of Lamar Avenue. It also provides a seamless connection to I-22, which has been constructed along the Lamar Avenue alignment in Mississippi.

However, extending I-22 along Lamar Avenue would not provide the highest benefit/cost ratio [page 8-12 of study; page 70/81 of pdf]:

Quote
Adding lanes to Lamar Avenue provide the highest benefit/cost ratios for all of the Lamar Avenue improvements. This is because their costs are significantly lower than upgrading Lamar Avenue to an Interstate. Making Lamar Avenue eight lanes provides roughly two-thirds of the benefit of upgrading Lamar to an Interstate with only one-third of the cost. Making Lamar Avenue six lanes provides half the benefit with only one-sixth of the costs.

Grzrd

#237
Quote from: Grzrd on September 03, 2010, 10:47:55 AM
MDOT anticipates letting the New Albany interchange project by the end of 2011.  Additionally, there are some other minor upgrades needed along US 78 to bring it up to interstate standards.   There is also a major rubblization project planned for Desoto and Marshall Counties in 2011.
Link to map of the interchange:
http://www.gomdot.com/Home/Projects/Studies/Northern/US78/pdf/MapOfProposedInterchange.pdf
Quote from: Grzrd on August 20, 2011, 10:10:11 PM
MDOT has recently provided updates to two US 78 upgrade to Interstate 22 projects.  One is anticipated to be completed in 2012 and the other is anticipated to be completed in 2013:
http://www.gomdot.com/Home/MediaRoom/newsreleases/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?ID=815201194811
New Albany interchange/I-22 upgrade project is scheduled to be let on September 27:
http://www.gomdot.com/Applications/BidSystem/LettingInfo.aspx?r=0&date=9/27/2011

Here is a link to MDOT's description of the project:
http://www.gomdot.com/Home/Projects/Archives/Studies/Northern/US78/Home.aspx

With this project (scheduled to be completed November 22, 2013: http://www.gomdot.com/bidsystem_data/20110927/PROPOSALS/104095302.pdf), Mississippi should be close to having started all of the upgrades necessary for conversion to I-22.  Does anyone know what else, if anything, will be necessary for the Mississippi upgrade after this project is started?

codyg1985

#238
Quote from: Grzrd on September 05, 2011, 12:36:16 PM
Quote from: Grzrd on August 28, 2011, 03:08:22 PM
Recent article discusses Cambridge Systematics study of upgrade options for Lamar Avenue.
Here is a link to the Cambridge Systematics/TDOT study of the Lamar Corridor:
http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/documents/LamarAvenueCorridor_June2011.pdf

Extending I-22 along Lamar Avenue would provide the most traffic relief [page 8-12 of study; page 70/81 of pdf]:

"Upgrading Lamar Avenue to an Interstate provides the most traffic relief benefits for Lamar Avenue. It reduces delay the most both for Lamar Avenue and for the study area as a whole. It also provides the lowest travel time for traveling the entire length of Lamar Avenue. It also provides a seamless connection to I-22, which has been constructed along the Lamar Avenue alignment in Mississippi."

However, extending I-22 along Lamar Avenue would not provide the highest benefit/cost ratio [page 8-12 of study; page 70/81 of pdf]:

"Adding lanes to Lamar Avenue provide the highest benefit/cost ratios for all of the Lamar Avenue improvements. This is because their costs are significantly lower than upgrading Lamar Avenue to an Interstate. Making Lamar Avenue eight lanes provides roughly two-thirds of the benefit of upgrading Lamar to an Interstate with only one-third of the cost. Making Lamar Avenue six lanes provides half the benefit with only one-sixth of the costs."

As much as I would like to see Lamar Ave upgraded to interstate standards, with the current budget climate, I don't think it will happen all at once or in it's entirety. What I would like to see is interchanges at the major intersections first (Holmes, Shelby, Winchester) along with a reconfiguration of the Getwell Rd interchange so that Lamar is the through route. Build the interchanges to interstate standards. Widen Lamar to at least six lanes through the interchanges. Build frontage roads on either end of the interchange to maintain local access. Then once the interchanges are upgraded, widen Lamar between the interchanges. As money becomes available, build frontage roads on either side of Lamar and close off access between the interchanges. Seems like that would be the best bang for the buck long-term.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

froggie

QuoteDoes anyone know what else, if anything, will be necessary for the Mississippi upgrade after this project is started?

Since I'm no longer in Mississippi, I haven't been keeping tabs much on US 78, but as of when I left, roughly half the corridor had substandard shoulders.  Assuming those substandard shoulders have all been taken care of, there shouldn't be anything else.

QuoteAs much as I would like to see Lamar Ave upgraded to interstate standards, with the current budget climate, I don't think it will happen all at once or in it's entirety.

Given that budget climate, all I see happening is maybe one or two interchanges, period.  Definitely Shelby.  Take your pick on the other.

SSF

Mississippi was widening the shoulders on a long stretch of 22 when I went through there last weekend.


jdb1234

^^^ US 78 from Fulton to the Alabama line has had shoulders for at least a year.

Grzrd

#242
Quote from: froggie on September 13, 2011, 07:57:17 AM
QuoteDoes anyone know what else, if anything, will be necessary for the Mississippi upgrade after this project is started?
Since I'm no longer in Mississippi, I haven't been keeping tabs much on US 78, but as of when I left, roughly half the corridor had substandard shoulders.  Assuming those substandard shoulders have all been taken care of, there shouldn't be anything else.

I recently emailed MDOT and asked them what other lettings will be necessary for the I-22 upgrade.  Here is the response:

Quote
MDOT has 1 more project on US 78 to let next year that will bring US 78 up to Interstate standards, however at least one end (Alabama or Mississippi) of US 78 must be connected to an existing Interstate before it can be classified as I-22.
Please let us know if we can assist you further.

I have emailed them back and asked them what & where needs to be done.  Instead of waiting for their response before posting, I have decided to issue a roadgeek challenge to those in the area & see if anyone can identify what needs to be done and where.  It may be as simple as a shoulder upgrade project, but where?  Any guesses?

agentsteel53

just sign the bloody thing as I-22.  slap a FUTURE banner above it in the places where it is not up to interstate standard (I'll bet the general traveling public would never even notice that a shoulder or overpass height is substandard - I certainly didn't when I drove it).  that is how it was done for years, with TEMPORARY banners.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

jdb1234

I took some photos of the construction of the I-65/I-22 interchange earlier this week.  If I have time I may post them.

FLRoads

Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 23, 2011, 06:55:37 PM
just sign the bloody thing as I-22.  slap a FUTURE banner above it in the places where it is not up to interstate standard (I'll bet the general traveling public would never even notice that a shoulder or overpass height is substandard - I certainly didn't when I drove it).  that is how it was done for years, with TEMPORARY banners.

Indeed. We know it's going to connect with I-65 at its southern terminus and either with the future I-269, or I-55 via future I-269, or even I-240 at the northern end (if they decide to push the freeway up along or near the U.S. 78 corridor in Memphis), so just sign the damn thing as an interstate. And as mentioned above, TEMP banners were the wave back in the 60's, 70's and 80's for unfinished interstates. I remember as a kid seeing I-75 and I-275 being signed as TEMP along U.S. 41/U.S. 301 and U.S. 19 on unopened portions in southwest Florida back in the early and mid 1980's, so why not do it now?

Heck, we have I-73/I-74 in North Carolina signed fully as INTERSTATE where shoulders are not at interstate standard and signed as FUTURE where they are, so what is the difference really, other than the state(s) in which the freeway resides? Plus the fact that one segment of I-73/I-74 in NC does not connect with another interstate...

I-295 in NC is another example of an interstate that is marked as FUTURE and it does connect with its parent (even though the only movement that is not freeway to freeway connection is from n/b I-95 to w/b FUTURE I-295).

So how do the federal mandates to sign an interstate differ in different states? I've never taken the time to do a thorough research on this, but shouldn't they be the same across the board? Or is it that there are more political influences involved in one state versus another as to getting an interstate to be signed as either as INTERSTATE or FUTURE?

Anyway, @ jdb1234, it would be cool to see some updated photos future I-65/I-22 interchange as I haven't been up that way since earlier this year...

Alps

Quote from: flaroads on September 24, 2011, 12:57:57 AM


So how do the federal mandates to sign an interstate differ in different states? I've never taken the time to do a thorough research on this, but shouldn't they be the same across the board? Or is it that there are more political influences involved in one state versus another as to getting an interstate to be signed as either as INTERSTATE or FUTURE?
The FHWA operates on a regional level. So one region of the FHWA may be more permissive toward allowing Future signage while others may require waiting until the highway is ready. I think signing it as a plain Interstate is still regulated at the national level, though.

codyg1985

Quote from: Grzrd on September 23, 2011, 06:32:27 PM
Quote from: froggie on September 13, 2011, 07:57:17 AM
QuoteDoes anyone know what else, if anything, will be necessary for the Mississippi upgrade after this project is started?
Since I'm no longer in Mississippi, I haven't been keeping tabs much on US 78, but as of when I left, roughly half the corridor had substandard shoulders.  Assuming those substandard shoulders have all been taken care of, there shouldn't be anything else.
I recently emailed MDOT and asked them what other lettings will be necessary for the I-22 upgrade.  Here is the response:

"MDOT has 1 more project on US 78 to let next year that will bring US 78 up to Interstate standards, however at least one end (Alabama or Mississippi) of US 78 must be connected to an existing Interstate before it can be classified as I-22.
Please let us know if we can assist you further."

I have emailed them back and asked them what & where needs to be done.  Instead of waiting for their response before posting, I have decided to issue a roadgeek challenge to those in the area & see if anyone can identify what needs to be done and where.  It may be as simple as a shoulder upgrade project, but where?  Any guesses?

I am surprised no one has said....



....challenged accepted.  :sombrero:

I may can squeeze a trip along the route sometime soon.  My guess of the remaining work would probably be additional shoulder work somewhere that isn't included in the scope of the projects underway or about to be underway.  I don't know whether acceleration lanes or length of off ramps and on ramps are adequate or not.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

jwolfer

#248
Quote from: leifvanderwall on April 09, 2009, 11:23:52 AM
I think I-22 should be extended even east of Birmingham,AL. I would have I-22 follow US 280 East to GA 520. I would have I-22 swallow US 82/GA 520 whole all the way to Brunswick, GA. I think the possibility is there to have an interstate from Memphis to Jacksonville, FL and I-22 would be one of the most traveled routes in the Southeast.

I like very much... give Jax a 3rd Interstate highway!



Post Merge: September 26, 2011, 10:07:02 PM

Quote from: Bryant5493 on April 09, 2009, 12:10:59 PM
^^ That's a good idea. Hopefully, I-14 will get built, and maybe an extension of I-185.


Be well,

Bryant

I had my fantasy I-14 go from Jax thru Waycross, Columbus GA... sounds like a similar plan from you

Fixed quote. - rmf67

berberry

Quote from: Grzrd on September 23, 2011, 06:32:27 PM
I have emailed them back and asked them what & where needs to be done.  Instead of waiting for their response before posting, I have decided to issue a roadgeek challenge to those in the area & see if anyone can identify what needs to be done and where.  It may be as simple as a shoulder upgrade project, but where?  Any guesses?

Not very likely, I don't suppose, but I wonder if it could have anything to do with the U.S. 45 interchange.  I drive through there only very rarely, but if I remember correctly there are no CD lanes on 22, or 45 for that matter.  I haven't heard about any new interstate standards that would make a non-CD cloverleaf obsolete, but I think it would make sense so I'll propose it as a remote possibility. 



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