Huntsville

[freebrickproductions]

The turn signals on Governors Drive at the intersections of Whitesburg Drive and Gallatin Street now have red arrows.

[freebrickproductions]

There are now red arrows in the turn signals at the intersection of US 431 and Sutton Road in Hampton Cove.

McCain Traffic Light by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[freebrickproductions]

Two more intersections have red arrows at them now:
Memorial Parkway and Weatherly Road has had the double-doghouse set-up at it replaced with a three section right turn signal and an upside-down T signal. The right turn signal has a red arrow. The left turn signals still have red balls.
The intersection of Old US 431 and it's service road in Hampton Cove has had the doghouse signals replaced with protected only left turn signals with red arrows.

[codyg1985]

The intersection of Old US 431 and it's service road in Hampton Cove has had the doghouse signals replaced with protected only left turn signals with red arrows.

I think this may have happened due to a report on WHNT, although the protected only setup wasn't a suggestion that was made. http://whnt.com/2014/05/20/hampton-cove-intersection-in-huntsville-needs-a-speed-change/

[freebrickproductions]

Part of Cecil Ashburn will be closed for repairs tomorrow.
http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2014/10/part_of_busy_cecil_ashburn_dri.html#incart_river

[freebrickproductions]

There are some new "No Parking Anytime" signs at the ends of Treeline Drive and Hiwan Trail. I'm betting neighbors complained about Grissom students parking there, but I saw one of them this morning parked a little bit up the street from the dead end on Treeline, so I wouldn't be surprised if more get erected soon. I'll post the pictures I got yesterday soon.

[freebrickproductions]

Here are my photos of the new signs:

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

New No Parking Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[freebrickproductions]

I e-mailed Huntsville asking about information on the FYA signals. I'll report back what they tell me.
Also, both the intersections of California Street and Longwood Drive and Bailey Cove Road and 4 Mile Post Road now have red arrows at them. This means that Huntsville has started upgrading non-state-maintained routes.

[freebrickproductions]

Here's the response I received from the City of Huntsville:

I will start off by addressing each question (below):



1.       There are no immediate plans to upgrade any existing signalized intersections that currently use the 5-section "doghouse"  to Flashing Yellow Arrow operation.  The last signalized intersection to be upgraded in this manner was at Old Monrovia Road and Hunting Trail, on 9/2/14.  That is not to say that the City of Huntsville will not continue to do so in the future — it is simply that there are no immediate plans for upgrades, nor is there a schedule.

2.       The 5-section head for this currently-inactive signal, at the new Church Street alignment and Oakwood Avenue, is going to be replaced by a Flashing Yellow Arrow assembly before the end of next week.  When this new signal is ready for activation (unknown date), the west-to-south left turns will be controlled with a Flashing Yellow Arrow.

3.       There is no date set for upgrades of existing signals; however, all new signalized intersections with protective-permissive phasing, that are on City of Huntsville roadways, will use the Flashing Yellow Arrow assembly instead of the 5-section "doghouse" .  We are currently waiting on ALDOT to determine if they are willing to go with the Flashing Yellow Arrow assembly for signals on their routes.



Hopefully, I've been able to answer your questions.  Thank you once again for your email.  Please contact me if there are any questions.

[codyg1985]

Who was the CoH engineer that responded?

[freebrickproductions]

Drove by the new alignment of Church Street yesterday and saw that it was striped. I'll see about getting some pictures of it soon.

[freebrickproductions]

A few things to mention here:

• The FYA on Oakwood Avenue is in flash mode, but not active yet.
• The new Holmes Avenue bridge was open as of Monday Morning according to a friend of mine.
• New FYA signals have gone up in downtown at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Greene Street.

[freebrickproductions]

Got a couple of pictures of Memorial Parkway northbound today. Quite a difference in traffic when compared to Thursday:
US 231/AL 53 Northbound by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
US 231/AL 53 Northbound by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Also got a photo of one of the Drake Avenue BGSes. The one I photographed has some green-out covering an arrow:
Drake Avenue by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[freebrickproductions]

With Senator Holtzclaw's district's road project funding being moved elsewhere by ALDOT, is there even a completion date for the new County Line Road interchange on I-565 anymore?

[codyg1985]

Since that project is under construction, money won't be pulled from that project. It should be done this summer.

[cjk374]

I just got back from spending a few days in Huntsville visiting my fiancee's kinfolk.  A few observations I made about Huntsville while driving around there:

1. Where the hell did all of those people come from?!?!?!?  For a little while, I thought I was driving around metro Atlanta or DFW. (which leads to the next observation...)

2.  Two more lanes for I-565??  Make Memorial Dr. a full-fledged freeway by filling in the gaps??  YES PLEASE!!! 

3.  Huntsville is the only place I have ever seen 2 divided highways running side-by-side, divided by a cyclone fence.

4.  Apparently, I-565 used to be signed north-south due to the EAST/WEST overlays next to the shields on the overheads.

5.  I really enjoyed seeing the night lights of Huntsville coming down both mountains (US 231 & 431).

6.  I laughed so hard when I saw this arrow signs for the 1st time ever:  https://www.google.com/maps/@34.704115,-86.587587,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sYwV1sK9J3DFaX7u0dg3bxQ!2e0  I couldn't tell if one arrow was humping another or the arrow had a very sad disposition in life. 

7.  The Space & Rocket Center was fun & educational, but bring lots of $$$...It cost me $55 for the 3 of us to get in, $20 for the souvenir picture at the end, $30 to feed us lunch, and $20 for super pixie stix.

8.  That Alexander Shunnarah fella sure loves putting his ugly mug on billboards all over Alabama: http://www.shunnarah.com/   

[codyg1985]

I just got back from spending a few days in Huntsville visiting my fiancee's kinfolk.  A few observations I made about Huntsville while driving around there:

1. Where the hell did all of those people come from?!?!?!?  For a little while, I thought I was driving around metro Atlanta or DFW. (which leads to the next observation...)

The area has grown tremendously over the past decade, thankfully in part due to BRAC. There are a lot of road improvements needed in the area, but funding has always been an issue. There has been a 1 cent sales tax increase to cover some needed capacity projects to raise $125 million over five years, which will match the state's contribution of the same amount. However, I worry that the state DOT will not be able to match their portion.

2.  Two more lanes for I-565??  Make Memorial Dr. a full-fledged freeway by filling in the gaps??  YES PLEASE!!! 

They are badly needed west of Wail-Triana Hwy. There are plans to six lane west of there with the 1 cent sales tax, but it is beyond the five year window right now. There should be a project bid this year to fill in the gap between Martin Road and Whitesburg Drive. The design is also underway for extending the freeway north beyond Mastin Lake Road. The Winchester Road signal north of Mastin Lake REALLY needs to be converted to an interchange since it is a huge bottleneck (I would say worse than Mastin Lake).  I would also love to see the portion of the parkway upgraded to a full freeway similar to I-565 between University/US 72 West and Airport Road, but I don't ever see it happening.

3.  Huntsville is the only place I have ever seen 2 divided highways running side-by-side, divided by a cyclone fence.

Ah, I-565 and Madison Blvd. Madison Blvd is the old alignment of Alt US 72/AL 20. Locals still call it "Highway 20." It was able to be built so close due to there being just Army land between Zierdt and the Space and Rocket Center. Between Research Park Blvd and Jordan/Governors, I-565 overlaid the old alignment of AL 20, and took out some really dangerous intersections and railroad crossings.

4.  Apparently, I-565 used to be signed north-south due to the EAST/WEST overlays next to the shields on the overheads.

That is correct. I think the state DOT thought that since it ended in an odd number it should be signed north-south, but thankfully that was changed around soon after being opened.

5.  I really enjoyed seeing the night lights of Huntsville coming down both mountains (US 231 & 431).

There are two other mountain crossings that IMO have better views. US 72 west before the beginning of I-565 west, and Cecil Ashburn Drive (an arterial that connects the southern Huntsville suburbs).

6.  I laughed so hard when I saw this arrow signs for the 1st time ever:  https://www.google.com/maps/@34.704115,-86.587587,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sYwV1sK9J3DFaX7u0dg3bxQ!2e0  I couldn't tell if one arrow was humping another or the arrow had a very sad disposition in life. 

Those are everywhere not only along Memorial Pkwy and Research Park Blvd north of University which is a freeway built as a slightly wider version of Memorial Parkway. I REALLY wished that ALDOT would install signs like what are in use along I-55 in Jackson, but that would require ALDOT to actually put up meaningful signage that is more than the bare minimum, which seems to be lacking in Huntsville: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.354574,-90.151612,3a,75y,16.64h,84.34t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sSXiFvhvH5qxaEhOdGoCMxA!2e0

7.  The Space & Rocket Center was fun & educational, but bring lots of $$$...It cost me $55 for the 3 of us to get in, $20 for the souvenir picture at the end, $30 to feed us lunch, and $20 for super pixie stix.

It is quite overpriced IMO, but I guess it is a bit justified since there is a lot of upkeep.

8.

That Alexander Shunnarah fella sure loves putting his ugly mug on billboards all over Alabama: http://www.shunnarah.com/   

Charles Pitman is also a billboard you see everywhere. Those billboards get annoying.

[Alex]

8.

That Alexander Shunnarah fella sure loves putting his ugly mug on billboards all over Alabama: http://www.shunnarah.com/   

Charles Pitman is also a billboard you see everywhere. Those billboards get annoying.

Shunnarah billboards are all over the I-10 corridor in Lower Alabama and NW FL as well. I would not have thought about it, but my son kept pointing out the billboards to me and then I couldn't stop noticing them. 

[freebrickproductions]

Charles Pitman is also a billboard you see everywhere. Those billboards get annoying.

I'm actually related to that guy. Though it's someone distant. I've always thought that his TV ads were annoying as well. At least I remember his phone number.

4.  Apparently, I-565 used to be signed north-south due to the EAST/WEST overlays next to the shields on the overheads.

You can actually still see part of the old cardinal directions on one of the BGSs on I-65 southbound:
http://www.instantstreetview.com/@34.63249,-86.902327,-150.72h,28.65p,4z

[cjk374]

8.

That Alexander Shunnarah fella sure loves putting his ugly mug on billboards all over Alabama: http://www.shunnarah.com/   

Charles Pitman is also a billboard you see everywhere. Those billboards get annoying.

Shunnarah billboards are all over the I-10 corridor in Lower Alabama and NW FL as well. I would not have thought about it, but my son kept pointing out the billboards to me and then I couldn't stop noticing them. 

Is Pitman the one who has "In a wreck? Need a check?" on his billboards?  I saw a bunch of those as well.

[codyg1985]

8.

That Alexander Shunnarah fella sure loves putting his ugly mug on billboards all over Alabama: http://www.shunnarah.com/   

Charles Pitman is also a billboard you see everywhere. Those billboards get annoying.

Shunnarah billboards are all over the I-10 corridor in Lower Alabama and NW FL as well. I would not have thought about it, but my son kept pointing out the billboards to me and then I couldn't stop noticing them. 

Is Pitman the one who has "In a wreck? Need a check?" on his billboards?  I saw a bunch of those as well.

Oh yeah. And he has a catchy commercial with the phone number. Kind of like the Goldberg lawyers that would run ads in the Birmingham area.

[lordsutch]

Shunnarah billboards are all over the I-10 corridor in Lower Alabama and NW FL as well. I would not have thought about it, but my son kept pointing out the billboards to me and then I couldn't stop noticing them. 

I wonder if he keeps so many of them in part as backdoor campaign signs for if/when he tries to run for statewide office again. It definitely keeps his name recognition high.

[cjk374]

I just remembered something else...I saw my first bubble shield live and in person while in Huntsville: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.734697,-86.597622,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sqHHvEhO7hFd4oVyc9eU7vA!2e0

[freebrickproductions]

I just remembered something else...I saw my first bubble shield live and in person while in Huntsville: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.734697,-86.597622,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sqHHvEhO7hFd4oVyc9eU7vA!2e0

We've got several of them around the city, mostly on BGSes.
I only know of one stand-alone bubble shield in the city, though.
I-565 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[codyg1985]

Don't forget these at AL 53/AL 255: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.791959,-86.667915,3a,15y,183.91h,87.61t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s2q-E5_Lx5wmIbTPv8gc_Rw!2e0

And this one on the other side of the intersection (with a bonus sign goof; not sure if it has been fixed): https://www.google.com/maps/@34.788863,-86.66536,3a,26.6y,354.66h,88.49t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sRNZ9M9An3R1PbXAImEs0Hw!2e0