Interstate 22

[Henry]

Since I-22 is still not marked in MS at this point, I think it will not be done until I-269 is actually completed to where they meet?

[lordsutch]

Mississippi already got the Toyota plant; thus they're in no hurry to impress people with the shields too.

[Grzrd]

Here is an al.com article that has some updated construction pictures from the I-22/65 interchange from July 24th.

This August 20 al.com article has some recent photos of the interchange construction as well as photos from the I-22 Coalburg Road-to-I-65 interchange paving project.

[golden eagle]

Since I-22 is still not marked in MS at this point, I think it will not be done until I-269 is actually completed to where they meet?

They could, at least, mark it from US 45 eastward, since 45 is a limited-access freeway.

[froggie]

Assuming the shoulders along that segment have been paved.  I admit it's been several years since I was last on US 78, but a big stumbling block to signing US 78 in Mississippi as I-22 (besides lack of connections in Memphis and the segment through New Albany) was the shoulders...with about half the shoulders at the time being substandard.  I've heard MDOT has been working to remedy this, but I don't know the status.

[lordsutch]

Assuming the shoulders along that segment have been paved.  I admit it's been several years since I was last on US 78, but a big stumbling block to signing US 78 in Mississippi as I-22 (besides lack of connections in Memphis and the segment through New Albany) was the shoulders...with about half the shoulders at the time being substandard.  I've heard MDOT has been working to remedy this, but I don't know the status.

I think all the shoulder work is done now, as is the reconstruction through New Albany (although the 60 mph speed limit remained as of May).

I suppose the other open question is whether FHWA will want the exit numbers changed.

[Grzrd]

I suppose the other open question is whether FHWA will want the exit numbers changed.

Since the section of US 78 from I-269 to the Tennessee state line is part of the Congressionally defined HPC 45/ Future I-22, FHWA has more than enough cover to use common sense and keep the exit numbers as they are under the colorable theory that I-22 will one day in the far future extend to the state line.  Doing so would be similar to the exit numbers for I-2 being based on a future I-2 connection with I-35 at the US 83/ I-35 intersection location in Laredo (which will probably never happen, either).

[Grzrd]

Since I-22 is still not marked in MS at this point, I think it will not be done until I-269 is actually completed to where they meet?

They could, at least, mark it from US 45 eastward, since 45 is a limited-access freeway.

This TV video reports on a school bus tour of I-269 construction by Mississippi dignitaries, projects an opening to traffic for the MS-TN connection section "by the end of this year", and projects that the "total project should be completed by the fall of 2018" ....
I'm a little disappointed, but not surprised, that completion of the entire project has been pushed back from 2017 to fall of 2018.  At least another three years ..... 

(bottom quote from Interstate 269 thread)

If MDOT does not mark I-22 from US 45 eastward, then it looks like it could be at least three years before we see I-22 signage in Mississippi. 

edit

Or, possibly 2.5 years if the I-55 to I-22 section of I-269 opens in the neighborhood of January 2018.

[Henry]

I could live with that. Then again, it would be better to end I-22 at I-269 than try to extend it up the (upgraded) Lamar Avenue corridor.

[msunat97]

OK...it's October...time to see when the I-65 / I-22 interchange will be done!  I still think Spring of 2016 despite the AL DOT reports to the otherwise.

[codyg1985]

These days it seems like work is moving along quite well. Realistically, I think Spring 2016 will be the opening date. That would happen to coincide with the paving on I-22 between Coalburg Road and I-65.

[Grzrd]

Since I-22 is still not marked in MS at this point, I think it will not be done until I-269 is actually completed to where they meet?

This MDOT News Release announces that there will be an Interstate 22 signage ceremony in New Albany on October 23:

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is pleased to announce that a signage ceremony for Interstate 22 has been scheduled for Friday, October 23 at 10:30 a.m. in New Albany, MS. The signage ceremony will take place at the BNA Park (Tennis and Soccer Complex) located at 216 West Bankhead Street in New Albany.
In attendance for the signage ceremony will be Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert and U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker.
U.S. 78 was congressionally designated as a future interstate corridor and will connect to Interstate 269 in Mississippi once construction is complete. MDOT's application to change U.S. 78 to Interstate 22 has been sent to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration for final approval.

[codyg1985]

Since I-22 is still not marked in MS at this point, I think it will not be done until I-269 is actually completed to where they meet?

This MDOT News Release announces that there will be an Interstate 22 signage ceremony in New Albany on October 23:

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is pleased to announce that a signage ceremony for Interstate 22 has been scheduled for Friday, October 23 at 10:30 a.m. in New Albany, MS. The signage ceremony will take place at the BNA Park (Tennis and Soccer Complex) located at 216 West Bankhead Street in New Albany.
In attendance for the signage ceremony will be Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert and U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker.
U.S. 78 was congressionally designated as a future interstate corridor and will connect to Interstate 269 in Mississippi once construction is complete. MDOT's application to change U.S. 78 to Interstate 22 has been sent to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration for final approval.

The above link doesn't work for me (maybe because I am at work), but here is another one.

[Grzrd]

This MDOT News Release announces that there will be an Interstate 22 signage ceremony in New Albany on October 23:

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is pleased to announce that a signage ceremony for Interstate 22 has been scheduled for Friday, October 23 at 10:30 a.m. in New Albany, MS.

The above link doesn't work for me (maybe because I am at work), but here is another one.

This article reports that covered I-22 shields have been installed in the New Albany area, that a final decision has not been made regarding the US 78 designation, and that MDOT "will quite possibly need" to renumber the exits:

.... "New"  Hwy. 78 replaced "old"  Hwy. 78, now designated 178, and tied to the Bankhead Highway system. And that road replaced "old, old"  78, which in Union County is now CR 478 to the west and 278 to the east ....
New I-22 signs were erected on the highway through New Albany this past week, but are covered awaiting the official designation ceremony.
Although Hwy. 78 has been upgraded to interstate standards, officials will have to decide whether to decommission the Hwy. 78 designation, transfer it to "old"  78 or let Hwy. 78 and I-22 simply coincide.
And because I-22 will connect with the I-269 corridor in Marshall County, about 12 miles from the Tennessee state line, rather than going to the state line as Hwy. 78 does, the highway department will quite possibly need to renumber all the exits on I-22 to follow accepted standards.

Here is a snip of a photo from the article:

[codyg1985]

I'm glad that they are at least signing US 78 along with I-22 (at least in that picture). I also hope that US 78 is transferred onto the old alignment, but I have my doubts about that. If that is the case, then maybe that will be enough of a precedent to transfer US 78 back to the old alignment in Alabama as well.

[froggie]

I also hope that US 78 is transferred onto the old alignment, but I have my doubts about that.

If AASHTO follows its own policy, it won't be.  If MDOT signs it anyway, they'd be in violation of AASHTO policy.

[SteveG1988]

US78 is still marked on pullthroughs in AL.

[The Ghostbuster]

Once Interstate 22 is fully signed, does anyone think the US 78 designation will be truncated to Birmingham or some other point?

[codyg1985]

^ That is what I think will eventually happen, but then what happens to the rest of US 78 west of I-269? Or the portion in TN?

[lordsutch]

^ That is what I think will eventually happen, but then what happens to the rest of US 78 west of I-269? Or the portion in TN?

The TN portion could just become TN 4 and TN 278. The MS portion could be MS 78 since Mississippi generally doesn't duplicate numbers.

Then again, if they can leave the existing exit numbers in place by keeping US 78 cosigned, they'll probably do that - at this point I think renumbering the exits is silly and there are ample excuses not to. People are used to the Highway 78 designation after all. MS 6 remains posted along much of US 278 despite being mostly redundant for over a decade now.

And US 78 isn't going back on the old alignment, since it's physically discontinuous in one place (Fulton) and MS 178 has designation gaps in at least two others (Tupelo and Holly Springs), along with the fact there's no simple way to get it onto the freeway between I-269 and the state line since there's no MS 178/I-269 interchange and MS 309 through Byhalia is woefully substandard.

In the realm of fantasy, I've always thought US 78 either replacing US 278 west of Guin (rerouting + truncating US 278 at I-22 west of Hamilton) or running it west along the MS 8 corridor would make more sense, but major reroutings of US routes aren't that common in the south.

[Grzrd]

Once Interstate 22 is fully signed, does anyone think the US 78 designation will be truncated to Birmingham or some other point?

^ That is what I think will eventually happen, but then what happens to the rest of US 78 west of I-269? Or the portion in TN?

The TN portion could just become TN 4 and TN 278. The MS portion could be MS 78 since Mississippi generally doesn't duplicate numbers.

This article about today's I-22 unveiling reports that the US 78 shields will come down in a few months, but it does not address the future designation of US 78 from I-269 into Tennessee:

After years of amendments and lobbying in Jackson and Washington, D.C., Highway 78 is no longer a highway. On Friday, leaders officially designated the 200 plus mile road as Interstate 22 at a ceremony in New Albany ....
The old Highway 78 signs will stay up for a few months until satellite companies and people update their maps with the I-22 designation.

Here is a snip from an article photo of an I-22 shield cosigned with a US 78 shield:

[noelbotevera]

Once Interstate 22 is fully signed, does anyone think the US 78 designation will be truncated to Birmingham or some other point?

^ That is what I think will eventually happen, but then what happens to the rest of US 78 west of I-269? Or the portion in TN?

The TN portion could just become TN 4 and TN 278. The MS portion could be MS 78 since Mississippi generally doesn't duplicate numbers.

This article about today's I-22 unveiling reports that the US 78 shields will come down in a few months, but it does not address the future designation of US 78 from I-269 into Tennessee:

After years of amendments and lobbying in Jackson and Washington, D.C., Highway 78 is no longer a highway. On Friday, leaders officially designated the 200 plus mile road as Interstate 22 at a ceremony in New Albany ....
The old Highway 78 signs will stay up for a few months until satellite companies and people update their maps with the I-22 designation.

Here is a snip from an article photo of an I-22 shield cosigned with a US 78 shield:

So US 78 bites the dust?

[iBallasticwolf2]

Once Interstate 22 is fully signed, does anyone think the US 78 designation will be truncated to Birmingham or some other point?

^ That is what I think will eventually happen, but then what happens to the rest of US 78 west of I-269? Or the portion in TN?

The TN portion could just become TN 4 and TN 278. The MS portion could be MS 78 since Mississippi generally doesn't duplicate numbers.

This article about today's I-22 unveiling reports that the US 78 shields will come down in a few months, but it does not address the future designation of US 78 from I-269 into Tennessee:

After years of amendments and lobbying in Jackson and Washington, D.C., Highway 78 is no longer a highway. On Friday, leaders officially designated the 200 plus mile road as Interstate 22 at a ceremony in New Albany ....
The old Highway 78 signs will stay up for a few months until satellite companies and people update their maps with the I-22 designation.

Here is a snip from an article photo of an I-22 shield cosigned with a US 78 shield:

So US 78 bites the dust?

Another one bites the dust

[Charles2]

Unless MsDOT returns US 78 to what is now MS-178, why should it exist?  Same thing in Alabama.  Unless 78 is returned to AL-118 and AL-5, it might as well be truncated in downtown Birmingham, either at the junction with US-11 or with US-31/280.

I'm not a fan of truncating US routes that have been supplanted by interstate routes, but as it stands now, US 78 between Memphis and Birmingham is just about useless.

[WashuOtaku]

Until it is formally removed by the AASHTO, I guess it becomes a hidden route and will simply reappear at I-22 terminus before Tennessee.