News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

Interstate 22

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

Previous topic - Next topic

Tourian



Grzrd

#276
Quote from: Tourian on February 22, 2012, 05:07:28 PM
Great pics, thanks.

Agreed! Thanks.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez came to Birmingham on February 22 and spoke at the I-22/ I-65 interchange construction site, which generated a WVTM-TV video, a Birmingham News video, and an eight-photo Birmingham News photo gallery.

As an aside, CBS 42 has an article which includes a photo of the US 78 and AL 4 "Corridor X" shields, which should become historical collector's items in a little under three years ...

codyg1985

I don't understand why the Birmingham media is still calling it Corridor X
I mean I know most people know it as that but you would think people would start calling it I-22. Some broadcasters and meterologists do call it I-22.

That photo from CBS 42 is from AL 129 in Winfield in Marion County.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

hbelkins

Quote from: codyg1985 on February 25, 2012, 08:39:31 PM
I don't understand why the Birmingham media is still calling it Corridor X
I mean I know most people know it as that but you would think people would start calling it I-22. Some broadcasters and meterologists do call it I-22.

That photo from CBS 42 is from AL 129 in Winfield in Marion County.

In West Virginia, the ARC corridors are most frequently referred to by their corridor letters. Corridor H, Corridor L, Corridor G, Corridor D.

However, in Kentucky, they're referred to by route numbers. And a lot of people don't even realize that some of the routes (Mountain Parkway, KY 15) are ARC corridors.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

codyg1985

Quote from: hbelkins on February 25, 2012, 09:37:50 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on February 25, 2012, 08:39:31 PM
I don't understand why the Birmingham media is still calling it Corridor X
I mean I know most people know it as that but you would think people would start calling it I-22. Some broadcasters and meterologists do call it I-22.

That photo from CBS 42 is from AL 129 in Winfield in Marion County.

In West Virginia, the ARC corridors are most frequently referred to by their corridor letters. Corridor H, Corridor L, Corridor G, Corridor D.

However, in Kentucky, they're referred to by route numbers. And a lot of people don't even realize that some of the routes (Mountain Parkway, KY 15) are ARC corridors.

No one here in Huntsville calls I-565 Corridor V, or US 72 through Scottsboro, or AL 24 through Moulton. But, US 78/Future I-22 is more commonly known as Corridor X. Go figure.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Tourian

Because it has been "corridor X" for like, 35 years. It's only been I-22 for the last, what, five years?

ttownfeen

What Tourian said.  Old habits die hard.

Morriswa

I have been wondering:  Could I-22 ever be extended southeast-ward, maybe all the way to Jacksonville, FL?

BamaZeus

It could be done, using the basic 280 corridor from Inverness all the way to Columbus, GA,and then SE from there.  Much of 280 is already 4-lane divided highway with a few interchanges near Sylacauga, so upgrading to interstate standard or near-standard wouldn't take that much work.  It would be more renovating current highway than building new.  Below Columbus, I'd use the US 82 corridor, but only as far as the junction with I-75.  I wouldn't build anything new from Tifton to Jacksonville as it's really not needed.

If you're going to build from Birmingham to Jacksonville, I'd rather see the money go to upgrading 82/231 from Montgomery to the state line at Marianna, or perhaps go SE from Dothan directly to Tallahassee.  I just don't see a giant need for an interstate there.

Morriswa

Can you please explain your reply?

BamaZeus

The gist of my reply was "yes it can be built, no it probably should not be built"

rickmastfan67

#286
I've now cleanup up everything that caused this thread to get out of hand. Please do not let it happen again, otherwise, Bans can and will be handed out, no questions asked.  Alright everybody?

Alps

#287
I-222 and I-422 discussion has been moved to the Northern Beltline topic.

Grzrd

#288
Quote from: Grzrd on April 15, 2012, 09:14:35 PM
Quote from: froggie on April 11, 2012, 11:00:57 AM
QuoteSeeing that the western section most likely won't be built anytime soon, I'd be for an I-22 extension to I-20/I-59, which would provide not only a smooth transition to another Interstate route, but also, a more complete northern bypass of downtown.
Something that, IMO, should be built anyway.  Would provide a little bit of redundancy for Malfunction Junction too.
Quote from: froggie on April 11, 2012, 11:11:53 AM
This refers to a long-standing proposal to extend I-22 to I-20/59 near the airport (likely just east of the AL 79 interchange).  It would do a lot more than you think...it'd be much more cost-effective than building the Northern Beltline and extending it south to I-20.  It would also take some traffic off of Malfunction Junction.
This article indicates that ALDOT has not pursued the I-22 extension to I-20/59 near the airport because of concerns over the high cost of the environmental cleanup of contaminated materials that are in the path of the extension:
Quote
So if I-22 continued past I-65 and tied into I-20/59 near the airport, traffic traveling either direction between Atlanta and Memphis could bypass the downtown junction. Additionally, traffic coming south on I-65 and heading east toward Atlanta could take the spur, as could I-20/59 traffic heading north from Birmingham.
Depending on the alignment, that connector would be in the neighborhood of two or three miles long.
The problem is what you encounter in those two or three miles.
"We looked at that years ago," said Don Vaughn, ALDOT's chief engineer. "But you get into a heavy industrial area with contaminated materials and we could not get through there. If we stir it up, we clean it up, and there is too much through there." .... There might be ways to twist the route through vacated industrial sites, but contamination might be present.
(above quote from "Birmingham Northern Beltline" thread; bold emphasis added by me)

I emailed ALDOT and asked them for a copy of the study referred to by Don Vaughn; to my surprise, they apparently reached an early conclusion that a formal study would not be worthwhile:

Quote
A report was never done... The impacts through the area were going through so many industrial sites that the project did not get very far along before it was dropped.

I wonder if an environmental study of the I-22 extension would be considered worthwhile today if it were to compare the projected cost of the extension (and associated environmental cleanup) to the cost of the Northern Beltline? I would even be interested to see the projected cost of the extension compared to the projected cost of the I-20 to I-459 section of Corridor X-1.

Remembering that I-22 is Corridor X in Alabama, and that Richard Shelby was able to get the Northern Beltline designated as Corridor X-1 (and be eligible for the associated ARC funding), I think the extension of I-22/Corridor X could also become eligible for ARC funding with some persuasion from Senator Shelby.  With that in mind, I think it would be worth ALDOT's while to conduct a formal study of the extension and determine with certainty what the different possible cleanup costs might be. After all, with federal ARC funding, it might be doable.

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on May 27, 2012, 07:36:24 PM
Quote
"We looked at that years ago," said Don Vaughn, ALDOT's chief engineer. "But you get into a heavy industrial area with contaminated materials and we could not get through there. If we stir it up, we clean it up, and there is too much through there."

Don Vaughn, ALDOT's chief engineer referenced in the above quote, retired on May 31.  In this article about Vaughn's retirement, I find it striking that 35 years have elapsed since ALDOT's initial estimate for construction of the Alabama section of Corridor X/ I-22:

Quote
He was working as a location engineer in 1977 when he learned Alabama might get some extra federal funds to build an interstate-type highway connecting Birmingham and Memphis, Tenn. He and others had six hours to come up with an estimate for building a 98-mile-long stretch Birmingham to Hamilton near the Mississippi line.
They estimated $100 million and wondered if they had estimated too high.
"I remember thinking that's $1 million a mile. How can that be?" he said.
The last stretch of what is known as Corridor X and Interstate 22 is under construction in Birmingham. It will connect the new interstate highway to I-65.
The price tag for that one stretch of multiple ramps and bridges is $168.6 million.

Assuming the I-22/I-65 interchange will be completed on schedule in 2014, that works out, even with ARC funding, to a completion rate of approximately 2.65 miles per year in Alabama.  It's a sobering example for other interstate-grade projects throughout the country.

Grzrd

#290
Quote from: Grzrd on September 23, 2011, 06:32:27 PM
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.
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 apologize for the length of time it has taken me to provide an answer; it has taken me a while to get a definite answer from MDOT.  However, I spoke to a District Two engineer yesterday and he confirmed that eight miles of US 78 rehabilitation in Benton County that is included in the June 26 letting will be the final District Two project to bring US 78 up to interstate-grade:

Quote
Rehabilitate approximately 8 miles of US 78 from the Marshall/Benton County Line to the Benton/Union County Line, known as Federal Aid Project No. NH-0006-01(083) / 104233303 in Benton County.
Project Completion: 11/11/2013

Quote from: Grzrd on November 09, 2011, 08:01:31 AM
http://www.gomdot.com/Home/Projects/Archives/Studies/Northern/US78/Home.aspx
Although it was let a little later than anticipated (Oct. 25 instead of Sept. 27), MDOT's New Albany project was awarded yesterday, subject to FHWA concurrence [page 2/2 of pdf]:
http://www.gomdot.com/bidsystem_data/20111025/LETDOCS/20111025BidAwards.pdf

The District Two engineer did caution me that District One may have one or two more projects... I spoke with a District One engineer this morning and he confirmed that District One has already let all of its projects necessary for the upgrade, and that the above New Albany project is still on track to be completed in November 2013.

EDIT

MDOT's June 19 District Two Project Updates provides updates on two other ongoing US 78 to I-22 upgrade projects, with anticipated completion dates of November 2012 and June 2013:

Quote
U.S. 78 Rubblization Project in Desoto/Marshall Counties 

Construction is underway on the rubblization project on U.S. 78 between the Coldwater River and West Holly Springs exit in Desoto and Marshall counties. Lehman Roberts Co., Inc., of Memphis, TN, was awarded the $39,978,826 project, which will use a process known as rubblization to crumble the existing concrete pavement into a new foundation for a new asphalt structure on top. In addition to the rubblization and asphalt pavement, other work including new guardrail, signing, pavement marking and drainage repairs will be completed in order to bring this section of U.S. 78 up to interstate standards. A traffic management center will also be installed on this project to provide motorists with up-to-the-minute information. Work has been going on since early 2011, and is approximately 51 percent complete.  The contractor is currently working on the rubblization sections around the Victoria and Red Banks interchanges (all concrete removal sections are complete), installing fence, removing asphalt along the ramps at the Byhalia interchange, boring conduit for fiber optic cable, and placing shoulder gravel.  All wide loads (12' wide and wider) have been temporarily detoured onto Highway 178 from the Ingrams Mill interchange to the West Holly Springs interchange. Work is scheduled for completion in June 2013. 

U.S. 78 Rehabilitation Project in Marshall County


MDOT continues to move forward with plans to upgrade existing U.S. 78 to interstate standards in preparation of the future I-22 designation. A project was let in May 2011 to Rogers Group, Inc. The $21,333,639 project will include overlaying the existing roadway, new pavement markings and signs, and upgrades to the median. In addition, the entrance and exit ramps at the West Holly Springs and Holly Springs interchanges will be extended to meet current interstate standards.   The contractor is currently installing drainage structures, fencing at the interchanges on the project, laying Asphalt in the West Bound lane near the Lake Center Interchange, paving county roads, and conducting earthwork operations to extend the entrance and exit ramps at the West Holly Springs and Holly Springs interchanges. This work is expected to be completed in November 2012.

It looks like Mississippi will have to wait from the completion of all of its projects in November 2013 until Alabama completes the I-22/I-65 interchange in October 2014 before it can put up I-22 signage.  I wonder if they will follow MoDOT's example with I-49 by installing the signage early and have it ready to "face the road" once Alabama completes the interchange?


Tourian

Quote from: Grzrd on June 21, 2012, 11:38:53 AM
I wonder if they will follow MoDOT's example with I-49 by installing the signage early and have it ready to "face the road" once Alabama completes the interchange?

Maybe they'll put the signs up but wrap them in black plastic bags until go-time.

Grzrd

#292
Quote from: Grzrd on August 28, 2011, 03:08:22 PM
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).
Quote from: Grzrd on September 05, 2011, 12:36:16 PM
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.
Quote from: Grzrd on January 16, 2012, 04:53:21 PM
Memphis MPO has not chosen the I-22 option for its Direction 2040 LRTP:
http://direction2040.com/library/Draft_Chapter_08%20(Implementation%20Plan).pdf
Draft timetable for Lamar Corridor:
2020 - Holmes Road interchange and widen to 6 lanes from Stateline Road to Shelby Drive.
2030 - Interchanges at Winchester Road and Stateline Road, widen to 6 lanes from Raines Rd. to Getwell Rd. and from Shelby Dr. to Raines Rd.
2040 - Interchange at Shelby Drive

Maybe the Lamar Corridor will one day become part of I-22. This article reports on Tennessee Transportation Commissioner John Schroer discussing the Lamar Corridor.  He does not mention I-22 directly, but he does mention a price tag of $500 million to $700 million and having to displace a lot of businesses.  Sounds like the I-22 option to me:

Quote
Tennessee Transportation Commissioner John Schroer told the Regional Logistics Council Thursday, Aug. 2, that his office has the "right priority list"  of road projects for the Memphis area.
And he didn't waste another sentence getting to the project at the top of that list for the group of 150 industry professionals in the room at the Memphis Marriott Hotel — the southern part of Lamar Avenue to the Mississippi state line.
The corridor that carries most of the region's freight is also the most congested major thoroughfare in the city.
"We know how bad Lamar Avenue is and we know how expensive Lamar Avenue is and it's mainly expensive because of right of way,"  Schroer said.
The undertaking is so big and the dollar figure for decongesting Lamar is so high that Schroer said past state transportation officials often haven't started toward a solution at all because of the price tag of an estimated $500 million to $700 million. ....
TDOT is specifically looking at options recommended in a June 2011 study it commissioned by Cambridge Systematics Inc. that would replace the Lamar and Holmes Road and Lamar and Winchester Road intersections with interchanges. The study was done in association with Kimley-Horn & Associates and the University of Memphis.
The state has $34 million in the fiscal year 2014 transportation budget for Lamar right of way and TDOT has agreed to fund additional environmental work.
"There are so many businesses on Lamar serving the business that's there. With the intermodal facility that is now there, the amount of truck traffic is ridiculously high,"  Schroer said after his remarks. "We've got to buy a lot of property and make it happen. ... It's going to require us probably taking out a lot of businesses, which means it is a very expensive undertaking and it is going to take a lot of time to do it."
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has said and said again Thursday that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has also made the Lamar corridor a priority at the federal level ....

$637.9 million fits neatly into that range of $500 million to $700 million ...

bugo

It would be silly to build an interstate down Lamar.  Connect it to I-55 in Mississippi and be done with it.

pj3970

Quote from: hbelkins on February 25, 2012, 09:37:50 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on February 25, 2012, 08:39:31 PM
I don't understand why the Birmingham media is still calling it Corridor X
I mean I know most people know it as that but you would think people would start calling it I-22. Some broadcasters and meterologists do call it I-22.

That photo from CBS 42 is from AL 129 in Winfield in Marion County.

In West Virginia, the ARC corridors are most frequently referred to by their corridor letters. Corridor H, Corridor L, Corridor G, Corridor D.

However, in Kentucky, they're referred to by route numbers. And a lot of people don't even realize that some of the routes (Mountain Parkway, KY 15) are ARC corridors.

There is another ARC corridor in West Virginia...Corridor Q (US 460)...but I have heard US 78/Future I-22 being called Corridor X everytime I have traveled through there

codyg1985

Quote from: bugo on August 02, 2012, 08:21:06 PM
It would be silly to build an interstate down Lamar.  Connect it to I-55 in Mississippi and be done with it.

Even if I-22 is connected with I-55 via I-269, there are still a lot of points of interest along and close to Lamar Avenue that would create a lot of truck traffic. It would be very expensive to upgrade Lamar, but I also think it is a logical connection given the proximity to various shipping and logistics companies that are close to Lamar.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on June 21, 2012, 11:38:53 AM
Quote from: Grzrd on September 23, 2011, 06:32:27 PM
I recently emailed MDOT and asked them what other lettings will be necessary for the I-22 upgrade.
I spoke to a District Two engineer yesterday and he confirmed that eight miles of US 78 rehabilitation in Benton County that is included in the June 26 letting will be the final District Two project to bring US 78 up to interstate-grade .... I spoke with a District One engineer this morning and he confirmed that District One has already let all of its projects necessary for the upgrade
Quote from: NYYPhil777 on August 21, 2012, 10:07:31 PM
Something about I-22- for some time from 2010 to now US 78 was labeled as I-22 by Google Maps, now Google Maps left it as US 78 again.
(above quote from Interstate 269 thread)

On July 10, MDOT did award a contract for the final US 78 to I-22 upgrade (page 3/4 of pdf):

Quote
NH-0006-01(083) / 104233303
BENTON COUNTY - Rehabilitate approximately 8 miles of US 78 from the Marshall/Benton County Line to the Benton/Union County Line
LEHMAN-ROBERTS COMPANY
PO BOX 1603
MEMPHIS, TN 38101
$11,024,682.79

At least MDOT is working on the upgrades for that time when Google Maps will return to I-22 ...

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on August 07, 2012, 08:18:36 PM
Quote from: Steve on August 07, 2012, 07:13:44 PM
Now my question, which I don't think has an answer yet - Is this piece of I-269 what will finally get I-22 signed? (Or will the I-65 connection beat it to the punch?)
I'm hoping the answer is neither; since MAP-21 now allows signage of disconnected segments, all of Alabama's open segments are interstate grade, and most of Mississippi's segments are interstate grade (with the final three upgrade projects all expected to be completed by November 2013), then I hope to see applications from both ALDOT and MDOT for immediate signage in time for the November 15 AASHTO Special Committee on Route Numbering meeting.  Why wait? I-22 signage by New Year's Day!
(above quote from Interstate 269 thread)

I just took a look at an email I received from ALDOT late yesterday afternoon regarding the possibility of MAP-21 allowing immediate signage of I-22:

Quote
Our Division Administrator has confirmed that the official designation can occur prior to the physical tie to an existing interstate. We will work with FHWA to receive the official designation and begin developing plans to implement the appropriate signage. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Of course, I'm not sure how long it will take ALDOT to "implement the appropriate signage", but I am sure it will be a lot sooner than the anticipated 25+ months until the completion of the I-22/ I-65 interchange.  :clap:

MDOT does not have plans for immediate signage:

Quote
I know of no immediate effort to install I-22 route markers (and the accompanying guide signs) along this route in Mississippi.  The installation of all these markers & signs would constitute a fairly respectable project in itself.  These changes are coming in the future — the question will be in the timing.  There are other decision makers that will be involved in the process — including our partners at the Federal Highway Administration.

Once I-22 shields start going up in Alabama, and after Toyota hears about it, I suspect that MDOT may then consider it worthwhile to install the shields ...

msunat97

Build a casino somewhere along 78 / I-22 / Corridor X & the interstate shields would have been up before the ink was dry on them.  This project has taken forever it seems.

NYYPhil777

Quote from: Grzrd on August 25, 2012, 06:26:37 PM
Quote from: Grzrd on August 07, 2012, 08:18:36 PM
Quote from: Steve on August 07, 2012, 07:13:44 PM
Now my question, which I don't think has an answer yet - Is this piece of I-269 what will finally get I-22 signed? (Or will the I-65 connection beat it to the punch?)
I'm hoping the answer is neither; since MAP-21 now allows signage of disconnected segments, all of Alabama's open segments are interstate grade, and most of Mississippi's segments are interstate grade (with the final three upgrade projects all expected to be completed by November 2013), then I hope to see applications from both ALDOT and MDOT for immediate signage in time for the November 15 AASHTO Special Committee on Route Numbering meeting.  Why wait? I-22 signage by New Year's Day!
(above quote from Interstate 269 thread)

I just took a look at an email I received from ALDOT late yesterday afternoon regarding the possibility of MAP-21 allowing immediate signage of I-22:

Quote
Our Division Administrator has confirmed that the official designation can occur prior to the physical tie to an existing interstate. We will work with FHWA to receive the official designation and begin developing plans to implement the appropriate signage. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Of course, I'm not sure how long it will take ALDOT to "implement the appropriate signage", but I am sure it will be a lot sooner than the anticipated 25+ months until the completion of the I-22/ I-65 interchange.  :clap:

MDOT does not have plans for immediate signage:

Quote
I know of no immediate effort to install I-22 route markers (and the accompanying guide signs) along this route in Mississippi.  The installation of all these markers & signs would constitute a fairly respectable project in itself.  These changes are coming in the future — the question will be in the timing.  There are other decision makers that will be involved in the process — including our partners at the Federal Highway Administration.

Once I-22 shields start going up in Alabama, and after Toyota hears about it, I suspect that MDOT may then consider it worthwhile to install the shields ...
:hmmm: I've looked at many I-22 corridor websites showing convincing support from many manufacturing companies wanting to establish themselves in Northwest Alabama near or at I-22, but how does Toyota have to do with it?
(from Blazing Saddles)
Jim: Where you headed, cowboy?
Bart: Nowhere special.
Jim: Nowhere special? I always wanted to go there.
Bart: Come on.

-NYYPhil777



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.