Huntsville

[freebrickproductions]

I emailed Huntsville a little while back about the red arrows and the FYAs and they responded a few days ago.
The red arrows will be installed city-wide after they finish installing them on the highways.
The FYAs will be installed in the fiscal year of 2015 (that's probably when they'll have the room in the budget to do it).

[freebrickproductions]

Southcrest Drive, Haven Street, and a little bit of Cassandra Avenue have been repaved.

[formulanone]

Two weeks ago, I drove down Wall Triana south of the airport, just to see where it ends at the Tennessee River. The four-lane section caught my eye, as there isn't a whole lot south of HSV. Was there once (or are there still) plans to extend this over the river as a divided four-lane highway? It would provide a southern alternate to I-65 and Memorial, but in reality it wouldn't connect to anything sizable, unless it went all the way to Cullman.

Edit: My spelling and grammar need work. Can't blame the phone on this one.

[codyg1985]

Two weeks ago, I drove down Wall Triana south of the airport, just to see where it ends at the Tennessee River. The four-lane section caught my eye, as there isn't a whole lot south of HSV. Was there one (or are there still) plans to extend this over the river as a divided four-lane highway? It would provide an southern alternate to I-65 and Memorial, but in reality it wouldn't connect to anything sizable, unless it went all the way to Cullman.

I have wondered that myself. I think the road was built originally to serve the Jetplex, but it goes a bit farther south than that, obviously. It would really open up that area if a bridge was built. I would think it would connect with I-65 around AL 36 or AL 67 if such a road was built.

[freebrickproductions]

Got some photos of the last incandescent traffic lights in Huntsville today. The rest of the incandescent signals in Huntsville are beacons. These signals were missed during the LED upgrade of 2010-2011. For not having been changed in a couple of years, all of the bulbs still work!

Incandescent McCain Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Incandescent McCain Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Incandescent McCain Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Incandescent McCain Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Incandescent McCain Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Incandescent McCain Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Two weeks ago, I drove down Wall Triana south of the airport, just to see where it ends at the Tennessee River. The four-lane section caught my eye, as there isn't a whole lot south of HSV. Was there one (or are there still) plans to extend this over the river as a divided four-lane highway? It would provide an southern alternate to I-65 and Memorial, but in reality it wouldn't connect to anything sizable, unless it went all the way to Cullman.

I have wondered that myself. I think the road was built originally to serve the Jetplex, but it goes a bit farther south than that, obviously. It would really open up that area if a bridge was built. I would think it would connect with I-65 around AL 36 or AL 67 if such a road was built.

I personally think that it would be a good idea, but I'm not sure how much usage it would get. It might spur some growth for that area of Huntsville and Triana, though.

[codyg1985]

Are those signals technically under the jurisdiction of Madison County? That may explain why they haven't been converted to LEDs yet. There's another signal at Winchester Road and Bell Factory Road that also hasn't been upgraded to LEDs that I think was installed around the same time as this signal at Indian Creek Rd and Blake Bottom Rd. The street name signage on the mast arm is also the same.

EDIT: According to this may from the City of Huntsville, the intersection sits just outside the city limits.

[Avalanchez71]

I bet the cheif of the Huntsville PD is pulling his hair out with all of the annexation all over North Alabama.  Almost all of north cetral Alabama is now in the Huntsville city limits.

[codyg1985]

I bet the cheif of the Huntsville PD is pulling his hair out with all of the annexation all over North Alabama.  Almost all of north cetral Alabama is now in the Huntsville city limits.

A new police and fire station was opened recently in the Limestone County-annexed portion of Huntsville along Greenbrier Road. I don't think it is a full precinct, but that is needed for all the land Huntsville has annexed out there, especially as the population continues to grow.

[freebrickproductions]

Huntsville's putting up a new traffic light along Oakwood Avenue near the HEMSI building.

New Traffic Signal Cantilever by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Also, the ICCs at the Five Points intersection have been replaced with 3 McCains and a Peek. The ICCs replaced some of the 3Ms that Huntsville got back in the 90s.

[bigdave]

Two weeks ago, I drove down Wall Triana south of the airport, just to see where it ends at the Tennessee River. The four-lane section caught my eye, as there isn't a whole lot south of HSV. Was there one (or are there still) plans to extend this over the river as a divided four-lane highway? It would provide an southern alternate to I-65 and Memorial, but in reality it wouldn't connect to anything sizable, unless it went all the way to Cullman.

I have wondered that myself. I think the road was built originally to serve the Jetplex, but it goes a bit farther south than that, obviously. It would really open up that area if a bridge was built. I would think it would connect with I-65 around AL 36 or AL 67 if such a road was built.

There was talk some years ago about such a bridge (the developers would love it), but it would cross the Wheeler Refuge on the south side of the Tennessee River. The Refuge has not been accommodating to easement requests in recent years. The city of HSV wanted to build a port, and the Refuge told them to take a hike.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/36242-huntsvilles-tennessee-river-port/

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/hsv.general/4r6FV1WzLcU

IMO, it would really be a bridge to nowhere.

In other trivia, my understanding is that the I-65 Tennessee River bridges were built with extra long elevated sections at the request of the Wheeler Refuge to allow maximum flow-through during flood seasons. (Can't find any supporting links.) If they wanted the same for a new bridge at Triana, it would really run up the cost.

David

[codyg1985]

I think such a road would only benefit people travelling to Huntsville from Hartselle south, and unless completed it would be a road to nowhere.

Now if you think REALLY big picture and build an entirely new road continuing connecting Huntsville with Columbus, MS. From where from where the road intersects I-65, the road could keep going to intersect US 278 near Addison, AL, duplex with US 278 to east of Double Springs, and then continue southwest to intersect with I-22 and AL 13 near Eldridge. From there, continue south, maybe south-southwest to Fayette, and then use AL 96 the rest of the way to Columbus. Maybe this entire extension could be AL 96, or maybe give it a north-south number since it is really more of a north-south than east-west route. I know this is fictional territory, but it would provide better regional connectivity in the western part of the state.

[freebrickproductions]

Huntsville recently replaced the doghouse signal for eastbound people on Byrd Springs Road at the intersection of Byrd Springs Road and Memorial Parkway with two left turn signals. I'm not sure why they did that because other intersections have two left turn lanes and one doghouse works fine with those.
Also, Huntsville's been restriping the roads lately.

[bigdave]

In one of the other threads, there is a link to an ALDOT briefing on the installation of SCATS on US 280 in Bham.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Coordinated_Adaptive_Traffic_System

The briefing mentions plans to install the system in Huntsville, but I can't find any other reference of a plan to install it here. (Great briefing, BTW.)

www.itsga.org/assets/3-aldot---us-280.pdf

Just wondering if anybody has heard anything. If not, I might e-mail HSV traffic engineering.

Thank you,
David

[codyg1985]

A SCATS system has supposedly already been installed along Governors Drive from 14th Street east to California Street, but I don't know if it is fully operational. I heard there was problems with it at some point.

[freebrickproductions]

Governors Drive has a SCATS system?
Maybe that's why the lights at Gallatin and Whitesburg take so long to change...

[freebrickproductions]

BTW, the FYA upgrade will start in October. That's when the next fiscal year starts and Huntsville said that's when they'd begin the upgrade.

[freebrickproductions]

Red arrows were installed at the intersections on Exit 15 on I-565 recently.

[freebrickproductions]

http://whnt.com/2014/08/29/video-car-fire-blocks-traffic-on-moores-mill-road/

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — An accident that resulted in a car bursting into flames blocked traffic on Moores Mill Road northbound Friday evening.

Huntsville Police shut down northbound traffic on Moores Mill Rd from Hwy 72 to Vintage Dr.

There is no word yet on any injuries.

[freebrickproductions]

Huntsville will be installing their second FYA signal in one week if the weather cooperates.
http://www.huntsvilleal.gov/engineering/NewsReleases/HuntingTrail-OldMonrovia.pdf

[freebrickproductions]

Huntsville was able to install the new FYA signals on Tuesday. I'll be going out and getting pictures of them along with a few other things this Saturday if possible.

[freebrickproductions]

Here are some photos of the new FYA signals at Hunting Trail and Old Monrovia:
New FYA Signals by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New FYA Signal by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

The signals at the new Church Street and Oakwood Avenue intersection have been mostly installed. All that's missing is the signals for Church Street. Also, there's a doghouse here, which was somewhat surprising, but I bet it will have disappeared by the time these signals are activated.
New McCain Traffic Lights at a New Intersection by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New McCain Traffic Lights at a New Intersection by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New McCain Traffic Lights at a New Intersection by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
New McCain Traffic Lights at a New Intersection by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Also, the left turn signals at the intersection of Memorial Parkway, Bob Wade Lane, and Countless Road have red arrows now.
Siemens Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Siemens Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Siemens Traffic Light by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[freebrickproductions]

To my knowledge, the first red arrows have appeared in SE Huntsville. The left turn signals at California Street and Governors Drive were upgraded to have red arrows instead of red balls today.

[freebrickproductions]

Also, I don't have any pictures of this, but the signals facing the I-565 ramps at the intersection of Oakwood Avenue and Lee High Drive have been changed.
The McCain three-section signal was removed and the Winkomatic doghouse was moved where the McCain was. A Siemens three section signal was installed where the Winkomatic doghouse originally was.
Here's the old set-up for reference: http://goo.gl/maps/LSu7C

[freebrickproductions]

Red arrows have been installed at the intersection of Memorial Parkway and Governors Drive (Facebook e-mail notifications let me know that codyg1985 posted about them on Facebook).

BTW, does anyone have a current list of all of the intersections with red arrows?

[freebrickproductions]

There are now red arrows in the left turn signals at Jordan Lane and I-565.