Alabama

[sturmde]

New to me, anyway: Yesterday I drove  US 43, AL 5 and AL 22 from Mobile to Selma. It's not an especially rewarding drive, but I did discover this one-quadrant interchange at AL 5 and AL 28 at the town of Catherine. I doubt that there was a capacity warrant for it, but both highways (quite a bit of the pavement for old AL 5 is still intact) were/are on steep grades that contributed to drivers running the stop signs or traffic signals there (see this Streetview. Neither end of the connecting ramp has or appears to need traffic control other than minimal stop and yield signs. The interchange bridge was built in 2005.

Also, there's the Grove Hill bypass. The US 43 bypass has five lanes, but with a Jersey barrier through the area of the interchange with US 84. The US 84 interchange was built in 1995, apparently along with a two-mile-long relocation of US 84 as a new four-lane highway with a fifty-foot median. You can see both from here on the interchange bridge. I was suprised that ALDOT went for a turn lane instead of a proper median on a new-terrain highway that apparently doesn't allow driveways, and more so when I saw the nearby relocation of US 84.

Did you notice that the US 84 Grove Hill bypass had high-numbered mile markers?

Online there, going just a bit east one sees Mile Marker 542.  In Alabama terms, that equates to Mile 42 on an alternate (+500) new segment of numbering, hence the 542 and so on.

https://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/MilepostPDF/web/co13mp.pdf

[barcncpt44]

The re-routing of AL-77 and AL-21 has been completed in Talladega.  AL-275 no longer exists.
https://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/MilepostPDF/web/co61mp.pdf

[formulanone]

The re-routing of AL-77 and AL-21 has been completed in Talladega.  AL-275 no longer exists.
https://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/MilepostPDF/web/co61mp.pdf

And it looks like the AL 21/77 multiplex also eliminates the segment of 21 west of town, and 77 no longer goes though the downtown. Odd to see a city in Alabama with no state routes going through its downtown.

[codyg1985]

The re-routing of AL-77 and AL-21 has been completed in Talladega.  AL-275 no longer exists.
https://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/MilepostPDF/web/co61mp.pdf

And it looks like the AL 21/77 multiplex also eliminates the segment of 21 west of town, and 77 no longer goes though the downtown. Odd to see a city in Alabama with no state routes going through its downtown.

Jasper, AL has no state routes through downtown anymore. AL 69 used to go through there.

[formulanone]

The re-routing of AL-77 and AL-21 has been completed in Talladega.  AL-275 no longer exists.
https://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/MilepostPDF/web/co61mp.pdf

And it looks like the AL 21/77 multiplex also eliminates the segment of 21 west of town, and 77 no longer goes though the downtown. Odd to see a city in Alabama with no state routes going through its downtown.

Jasper, AL has no state routes through downtown anymore. AL 69 used to go through there.

Yeah, it looks like many routes were shifted away - but at least they're in the proximity of its "Main Street". Opp also routed everything away from its center.

[Charles2]

Add Auburn to the list of cities with no signed routes going through the heart of the city.  US-29 has been rerouted onto I-85.  AL-14 was truncated at Shug Jordan Parkway (formerly AL-267, now AL-147).  AL-147 now bypasses the city to the east.

[barcncpt44]

A petition is now up to rename the George Wallace Tunnel that carries I-10 in Mobile.
https://www.change.org/p/governor-kay-ivey-rename-george-wallace-tunnel-in-mobile-alabama

[roadman65]

Alabama pentagon county routes are not numbered to a state system?  If I am not mistaken each county has their own numbers so therefore county road numbers can be duplicated the amount of times equal to the amount of counties.  Unlike Florida where to a point, county route numbers fit into the state numbering scheme minus Volusia, Leon, and Alachua who all have four digit numbers instead of the area's numbering scheme.

[DeaconG]

A petition is now up to rename the George Wallace Tunnel that carries I-10 in Mobile.
https://www.change.org/p/governor-kay-ivey-rename-george-wallace-tunnel-in-mobile-alabama

Oh, FFS. George Wallace ain't my favorite person, but it's already done. If they really want to change things, why don't we STOP naming every road, every interchange and every bridge for every jabroni that thinks they're important?

Reminds me of a sci-fi story by Daniel Keyes where every public building was named after a senator, congressman or governor. At some point, it just gets old.

[roadman65]

Well you can't have every road named for a person you like.  All famous people have their critics.  Plus, what about stadiums and arenas which all a business has to do is pay several million dollars and the sporting center is their namesake for ever how long the naming contract lasts.

I agree too many politicians and other folks have their names on everything.   However the Arland Williams Jr. Bridge in DC is not named after a famous person but a heroic passenger aboard the Air Florida Plane that crashed into the Potomac years ago.  He gave his life so another passenger could be saved.  That is the best reason why a road could be named over a typical person.

[formulanone]

I agree too many politicians and other folks have their names on everything.   However the Arland Williams Jr. Bridge in DC is not named after a famous person but a heroic passenger aboard the Air Florida Plane that crashed into the Potomac years ago.  He gave his life so another passenger could be saved.  That is the best reason why a road could be named over a typical person.

Here, here.

Surely most cities have someone semi-famous that invented / wrote / discovered something, made a contribution to society, founded the town, fought in a war...it's nauseating that nearly everything gets named after politicians. If it's their hometown, or maybe if they were the only one to mention that some small town needed a bridge, then fine.

Politicians are mostly a batch of self-absorbed do-nothings; naming things after them is just bitching fodder for 50% of America. There's lot of things people can be famous for and should be recognized.

[formulanone]

Lots of observations over the last two months of driving around.

Cullman County has a lot of downed and damaged signage on I-65.

AL 275 is well and truly history; no signage remains. Also, no AL 200 signs as AL 21 has taken over both.

Selma's US 80 Business routing is haphazardly labeled; though there's plenty of US 80 signage, the BUSINESS banner isn't evenly applied, though the confusing TRUCK banners are consistently used...too much so.

The Joe Mallisham Parkway (among other names) for the western bypass of Tuscaloosa is a decent bypass for $1.50 if you aim to avoid the endless slog through town and head up north on US 43 or AL 69. Almost no mid-day traffic on it, signed for 50/55 mph most of the way.

AL 135 signage doesn't seem to exist anymore near or through Gulf Shores State Park.  There was a bunch of it 2016, but not this time around. Also, it had several 26 mph Speed Limit signs, which makes me think it was also decommissioned.

Standing water pools up a lot along US 231 from Sylacauga to Wetumpka, even though the roadbed is raised generously. Must be a lot of pavement deformation, though it wasn't bumpy.

US 411 has odd signage near the south end in Leeds. A pointless TRUCK banner for the last southbound mile or so.

AL 182 has several U-turn signals with FYA, but with U-turn symbols. The traffic lights along Orange Beach are numbered and include shields.

Found a rare captive county shield in Marion County.

[jdb1234]

Lots of observations over the last two months of driving around.

AL 135 signage doesn't seem to exist anymore near or through Gulf Shores State Park.  There was a bunch of it 2016, but not this time around. Also, it had several 26 mph Speed Limit signs, which makes me think it was also decommissioned

AL 182 has several U-turn signals with FYA, but with U-turn symbols. The traffic lights along Orange Beach are numbered and include shields. 

I went to Orange Beach back in February and noticed both of these.  The signals threw me off when I was driving down there and missed the turn for my hotel.   

One other note down there.  AL 180 has been truncated to AL 161 in Orange Beach.

[MikeTheActuary]

The re-routing of AL-77 and AL-21 has been completed in Talladega.  AL-275 no longer exists.
https://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/MilepostPDF/web/co61mp.pdf

And it looks like the AL 21/77 multiplex also eliminates the segment of 21 west of town, and 77 no longer goes though the downtown. Odd to see a city in Alabama with no state routes going through its downtown.

Jasper, AL has no state routes through downtown anymore. AL 69 used to go through there.

Yeah, it looks like many routes were shifted away - but at least they're in the proximity of its "Main Street". Opp also routed everything away from its center.

I'm waiting to see what happens with Elba, where a 4-lane US84 bypass has been under construction.  It wouldn't take much to completely reroute AL87 and AL189 around the new bypass, and abolish AL203.   However, the DOT seems to have retained AL12 on the old alignment in New Brockton when that town was bypassed, so....?

The town doesn't want its center to shrivel up and die (the current mayor was my boss at my first real job), but flooding has not been kind to the place.

[Eth]

However, the DOT seems to have retained AL12 on the old alignment in New Brockton when that town was bypassed, so....?

It looks like that's signed as AL 302, not AL 12.

[Alex]

AL 135 signage doesn't seem to exist anymore near or through Gulf Shores State Park.  There was a bunch of it 2016, but not this time around. Also, it had several 26 mph Speed Limit signs, which makes me think it was also decommissioned.

SR 135 is still shown on the most recent Baldwin County Milepost Map from ALDOT for Baldwin County. Must be a very recent decommision.

Lots of observations over the last two months of driving around.

AL 135 signage doesn't seem to exist anymore near or through Gulf Shores State Park.  There was a bunch of it 2016, but not this time around. Also, it had several 26 mph Speed Limit signs, which makes me think it was also decommissioned

I went to Orange Beach back in February and noticed both of these.  The signals threw me off when I was driving down there and missed the turn for my hotel.   

One other note down there.  AL 180 has been truncated to AL 161 in Orange Beach.

The Baldwin County Milepost map was revised in January 2019, indicating that the spur east from SR 161 to mile 31.182 was eliminated with maintenance assumed by the city of Orange Beach.

Thanks for posting this, I updated the page for Alabama Route 180 accordingly.

[sturmde]

Lots of observations over the last two months of driving around.

AL 135 signage doesn't seem to exist anymore near or through Gulf Shores State Park.  There was a bunch of it 2016, but not this time around. Also, it had several 26 mph Speed Limit signs, which makes me think it was also decommissioned

AL 182 has several U-turn signals with FYA, but with U-turn symbols. The traffic lights along Orange Beach are numbered and include shields. 

I went to Orange Beach back in February and noticed both of these.  The signals threw me off when I was driving down there and missed the turn for my hotel.   

One other note down there.  AL 180 has been truncated to AL 161 in Orange Beach.

Interesting seeing they did that last year.  Perhaps it would make sense to replace AL 161 now and extend AL 180 over it to end at AL 182.  Then there would be a continuous route number for what most traffic on 161 is doing.
.
Could repurpose AL 161 some day to the Beach Express routes from I-10 southward...

[MikeTheActuary]

However, the DOT seems to have retained AL12 on the old alignment in New Brockton when that town was bypassed, so....?

It looks like that's signed as AL 302, not AL 12.

Drat.  I missed that sign when I was down there this January.  I guess I was too busy looking for the weirdly-numbered mileposts.

[Voyager75]

Just got back from Gulf Shores yesterday and can confirm the eliminations of said AL-signed routes. I guess the 180 spur from AL-161 eastward didn't meet the traffic count criteria so it was eliminated for budget reasons.

The state is currently repurposing Gulf State Park with the new resort, new pedestrian crosswalks over AL-182, a new boardwalk from the campground to one of the said crosswalks and closing the golf course. State Park Rd. 2 was closed to thru traffic in the past couple of years so if AL-135 was decommissioned as well I'm not sure what ALDOT has in store for the limited routes in the park. They seem to be shifting all the features of the park to the south side of the property along the beach.

Wishful thinking to hope that ALDOT is reserving funds to finally extend the Beach Express from the overpriced and long paid up toll bridge to AL-182. It would make a nice direct shot with a route built from the bridge to the State Park Rd 2/AL-182 intersection. I'll go into fantasy world while I'm at it and push for a I-265 route from around Exit 45 in Perdido to the Baldwin Beach Express exit on I-10. I'm guessing it would save about 30 minutes of drive time and gas wasted at all the traffic lights along AL-59 obviously.


iPad

[clong]

Drove on the new section of I-65 from Exit 238 to Exit 242 last week. Southbound all 4 lanes were open, Northbound the inside of the 4 lanes had construction barrels still in it.

I'm wondering when the 4th lanes will be paved and opened from Exit 242 to Exit 246. It seems they are just missing the top layers and otherwise would be ready to go.

[Voyager75]

Drove on the new section of I-65 from Exit 238 to Exit 242 last week. Southbound all 4 lanes were open, Northbound the inside of the 4 lanes had construction barrels still in it.

I'm wondering when the 4th lanes will be paved and opened from Exit 242 to Exit 246. It seems they are just missing the top layers and otherwise would be ready to go.

ALDOT was scheduled to begin resurfacing and laying out new stripes into a new 4 lane configuration on that section this week actually. According to the local news, the project will go up to the Cahaba River bridge between Valleydale Rd and I-459, where I-65 currently expands to 4 lanes. Should be finished by this fall.


iPad

[jdb1234]

Drove on the new section of I-65 from Exit 238 to Exit 242 last week. Southbound all 4 lanes were open, Northbound the inside of the 4 lanes had construction barrels still in it.

I'm wondering when the 4th lanes will be paved and opened from Exit 242 to Exit 246. It seems they are just missing the top layers and otherwise would be ready to go.

ALDOT was scheduled to begin resurfacing and laying out new stripes into a new 4 lane configuration on that section this week actually. According to the local news, the project will go up to the Cahaba River bridge between Valleydale Rd and I-459, where I-65 currently expands to 4 lanes. Should be finished by this fall.

Makes sense, the original plan years ago was for that stretch to be 8 lanes south of I-459.  At one point, the plan was for one of the lanes to be HOV. 
I will be glad when it is done.  I have been going down to Montevallo 2 or 3 times a week for the past two years.

[barcncpt44]

The I-20/59 bridge project at McFarland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa is going to last longer.  Twisted arch must be replaced.  https://abc3340.com/news/local/workers-to-replace-faulty-arch-on-new-tuscaloosa-interstate-bridge

[Voyager75]

Drove on the new section of I-65 from Exit 238 to Exit 242 last week. Southbound all 4 lanes were open, Northbound the inside of the 4 lanes had construction barrels still in it.

I'm wondering when the 4th lanes will be paved and opened from Exit 242 to Exit 246. It seems they are just missing the top layers and otherwise would be ready to go.

ALDOT was scheduled to begin resurfacing and laying out new stripes into a new 4 lane configuration on that section this week actually. According to the local news, the project will go up to the Cahaba River bridge between Valleydale Rd and I-459, where I-65 currently expands to 4 lanes. Should be finished by this fall.


iPad

The lanes have been re-striped and have made a world of difference in the new 4-lane section from Exit 247/Valleydale Rd. to Exit 238/US-31. Not sure if they plan to resurface the original 3 lane part from from Exit 247 to 242.

EDIT: Drove that section today and they are resurfacing the entire roadway. They currently have the left two lanes finished.

Of course ALDOT will now have to turn their attention add lanes from Exit 238 to the newly expanded Exit 231 in Calera sooner than later. Going from 4 lanes to 2 immediately at Exit 238 has been a mess for the Saturday travelers to the beach. Numerous brides in that section will have to be expanded so it may take longer. There was only one in the previous section.

[barcncpt44]

There is a local amendment on the Baldwin County ballot that would establish a toll authority in Baldwin County to oversee a new $200 million northbound extension to the Baldwin Beach Express.  Honestly, it's likely to be voted down.  https://www.al.com/news/2020/10/toll-opposition-returns-to-baldwin-county-over-ballot-initiative.html