Interstate 22

[Henry]

And don't forget the eastern end of I-70 in MD, which is now at I-695.

[The Ghostbuster]

Has Interstate 70 "officially" been truncated to Interstate 695? Or is the only indication it ends at 695 is that huge white sign?

[lordsutch]

I think I got it all updated in OSM correctly; the free aerials are a bit out of date so I may have a few of the ramps slightly wrong but everything should be topologically right at least for routing etc.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Just got back from driving it.  Didn't make it to the ribbon cutting cerimony, but drove soon after it opened.  I did take pictures, will post them later.

Just curious, did you have those pictures ready to post?

[codyg1985]

Here are some pictures I took today of the new I-22/65 interchange: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100310766528963.1073741934.78202701&type=1&l=cc3f36eaeb

[CobaltYoshi27]

Here are some pictures I took today of the new I-22/65 interchange: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100310766528963.1073741934.78202701&type=1&l=cc3f36eaeb

I think it looks awesome. Is it going to need 3 lanes both directions though?

[lordsutch]

I think it looks awesome. Is it going to need 3 lanes both directions though?

It matches the six lane design profile that extends west to AL 269 at Jasper. With the constant grades and truck volume it's probably going to be needed sooner than you'd otherwise think.

Trivia note: the overpasses in Jefferson County were actually built wide enough to add 2 additional lanes in the median without further bridgework.

[CobaltYoshi27]

I think it looks awesome. Is it going to need 3 lanes both directions though?

It matches the six lane design profile that extends west to AL 269 at Jasper. With the constant grades and truck volume it's probably going to be needed sooner than you'd otherwise think.

Trivia note: the overpasses in Jefferson County were actually built wide enough to add 2 additional lanes in the median without further bridgework.

I didn't think it would fill that quickly.

[Voyager75]

So with the brand spanking new US 78 signs posted alongside with I-22 does that mean that 78 will be rerouted up I-65 and be concurrent with I-22 the whole route? Will it just make cameo appearances here and there as to not mess with the 78 routing into Memphis? Or just miscommunication within ALDOT as to where 78 should exist? Probably the latter...

[rcm195]

Well, just my two cents worth, whenever the trunk portion is finished over to old US 31, it should be rerouted and run with 31 all the way down to the 3rd and 4th Avenue south exits on the Red Mountian Expressway. There it would get back on its original route through east Alabama.

[sparker]

If I had to guess, I'd figure that using the short extension to US 31 for rerouting US 78 was the plan all along; leaving the original 78 west out of town as simply AL 5 for local or short-distance intraregional traffic.  Why else go to the trouble & expense of deploying the extension to begin with?

[codyg1985]

Before Corridor X was supposed to be I-22, the plan was indeed to just route US 78 along it for the entire way and build the extension to US 31 so that US 78 could run concurrent with US 31 down to Birmingham. I am honestly not sure how ALDOT plans on handling it now.

[rcm195]

My guess, Aldot won't do anything. They will just leave 78 a gig saw puzzle mess until the extension is finished. By the way, any ideas when that will be?

[The Ghostbuster]

My vote would be to get rid of 78 between Memphis and Birmingham, but then again, I'm not in charge.

[lordsutch]

Really it wouldn't be hard to run it up US 31 today; there'd be a short backtrack via the I-65 C/D roads but nothing too serious.

I suspect ALDOT has greater ambitions for the stub though. If the locals force their hand on moving 20/59 out of downtown it's a logical tie-in point for an alternative that would avoid the impacts to the neighborhoods along Finley.

[Voyager75]

Well if ALDOT ever gets around to replacing the overhead assembly at the US 78 Arkadelphia Rd. exit on I-20/59 South that got knocked down a while back in that fatal accident involving a 18 wheeler we may get the answer. I assume it will have updated signage on it.

[codyg1985]

Phase Two of the I-20/59 bridge replacement project involves, among revamping the I-20/59/65 interchange, adding a lane from the I-65 interchange west to US 78. Interestingly enough, the signage plans call for the BGS to only say US 78 west.

[Charles2]

Could you post a link to the sign spec sheets?  Thanks!

[codyg1985]

Unfortunately I don't have a good way to pull just the signage plans from the file, so I will have to link to the entire set of plans. It is a massive file. Almost 1 GB. Here it is

[Tourian]

My vote would be to get rid of 78 between Memphis and Birmingham, but then again, I'm not in charge.

What would you call the road that remains...or are you suggesting it be destroyed?

[The Ghostbuster]

I would have US 78 in Tennessee be just state highway 4. The rest of 78 would be Interstate 22, although I know that Interstate 22 will end at Interstate 269, I would have it go to the state line.

[sparker]

If US 78 is removed from Mississippi, perhaps the remaining portion of the freeway from the I-22/269 interchange west to the TN state line could become MS 78, providing some form of numerical continuity. 

[Charles2]

Truth be told, west of Atlanta, US 78 serves no redeeming purpose.  Since both Georgia and Alabama use internal state routes (8 in Georgia, 4 in Alabama) to accompany US 78 and since US 78 has been supplanted by I-20 between Atlanta and Birmingham and I-22 between Birmingham and Olive Branch, they might as well both do away with the route. 

Mississippi: SR-178 has been the designation of "old" 78 for years.  Why mess up a good thing?
Alabama: Mississippi state line to Guin, no additional route number is needed, since AL-74 is routed on the former route between the state line and Hamilton, and 78 had a concurrency with US 43/278 between Hamilton and Guin.  Guin to Jasper: as sections of what is now I-22 were opened, the old route was designated as AL-118.  Jasper to west of downtown Birmingham: US 78 and AL-5 have shared a concurrency for years.  In anticipation of the completion of I-22, milepost markers were replaced, using AL-5 mileage rather than US 78 mileage.  East of downtown Birmingham to the Georgia state line: hello, AL-4.
Georgia: Alabama state line to Atlanta: use GA-8.  East of Atlanta to Charleston: use the US 78 designation.

Historically, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia have not truncated US routes in favor of the Interstate highways they were replaced by, but in this case it makes too much sense not to.  Which is probably why I won't happen.

[codyg1985]

Truth be told, west of Atlanta, US 78 serves no redeeming purpose.  Since both Georgia and Alabama use internal state routes (8 in Georgia, 4 in Alabama) to accompany US 78 and since US 78 has been supplanted by I-20 between Atlanta and Birmingham and I-22 between Birmingham and Olive Branch, they might as well both do away with the route. 

Mississippi: SR-178 has been the designation of "old" 78 for years.  Why mess up a good thing?
Alabama: Mississippi state line to Guin, no additional route number is needed, since AL-74 is routed on the former route between the state line and Hamilton, and 78 had a concurrency with US 43/278 between Hamilton and Guin.  Guin to Jasper: as sections of what is now I-22 were opened, the old route was designated as AL-118.  Jasper to west of downtown Birmingham: US 78 and AL-5 have shared a concurrency for years.  In anticipation of the completion of I-22, milepost markers were replaced, using AL-5 mileage rather than US 78 mileage.  East of downtown Birmingham to the Georgia state line: hello, AL-4.
Georgia: Alabama state line to Atlanta: use GA-8.  East of Atlanta to Charleston: use the US 78 designation.

Historically, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia have not truncated US routes in favor of the Interstate highways they were replaced by, but in this case it makes too much sense not to.  Which is probably why I won't happen.

If US 78 is truncated, then I would be in favor of business loop I-22 in Jasper, Winfield/Guin, and Hamilton.

[froggie]

Realistically, US 78 should be truncated.  Alternatively, though it would probably cause just as much confusion, US 78 could replace US 278 west of Atlanta.