Alabama

[bdmoss88]

It is already widened through Reform, but as a non-divided five lane road.

ALDOT is actually planning a road diet on US 82 through Reform, I crap you not.

For those of us who can't access ALDOT's website (blame my ISP), what does that site say specifically?

The proposed project is located along AL-6 (US-82/1stAve) in the City of Reform, Pickens County, Alabama. AL-6 will be restriped from the existing four (4) lanes to three (3) lanes. This new 3-lane configuration will consist of one through-lane for northbound and southbound traffic and a continuous left-turn lane. This change will help improve traffic operations and efficiency along the route. Additionally, the project will repave AL-6 from one mile east of the Reform City Limits to the George Lewis Bonner Bridge just east of 4th Ave Southeast.

The purpose of this public involvement meeting is to inform the public of the design features for the project. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is interested in obtaining input from the people who use this route.

The meeting for public input was December 22, 2022.

Northbound and southbound?

[ttownfeen]

It is already widened through Reform, but as a non-divided five lane road.

ALDOT is actually planning a road diet on US 82 through Reform, I crap you not.

What a joke.

[rte66man]

Looks like the West Alabama Corridor is delayed:

from https://aldailynews.com/112-million-in-aldot-projects-remain-on-hold-over-funding-dispute/

$112 million in ALDOT projects remain on hold over funding dispute

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – More than a dozen Alabama Department of Transportation contracts remain on hold this week as some lawmakers and department officials continue to discuss the funding and future of the high-profile West Alabama Corridor project. Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, last week delayed a $74.9 million design-build contract on the 75-mile, four-lane highway from Thomasville to Tuscaloosa last week over concerns about financing from the state's 2019 gas tax increase. In response, Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, who advocated for the west Alabama project, held about a dozen other ALDOT contracts. The two men are on the Legislative Contract Review Committee, which can delay contracts for 45 days.

On Wednesday, Elliott, England and Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, met with ALDOT leaders to talk more about the corridor project. "My concerns remain and they largely focus around the fact that I think we're going to have to borrow against the Rebuild Alabama money for the next 20 years to be able to do this project,"  Elliott told Alabama Daily News after the meeting on Wednesday. He did not release the contract and said more discussions are expected.

England described the meeting as "basically just information gathering,"  and told ADN that no agreement was reached and the holds remain on the ALDOT contracts. "They're probably going to be held for a while longer,"  England said.

The west Alabama project would be financed by bonds repaid over time from the 10-cent per gallon gas tax increase approved by lawmakers in 2019. That Rebuild Alabama Act legislation allows for 50% of the state's projected revenue from the tax increase to be committed for bond debt. Elliott and others have asked why no federal funds are being used.

England argues that questions about costs related to the project were brought up far less when compared to projects outside the Black Belt, and that revenue from the gas tax increase is collected under the Rebuild Alabama Act specifically for projects like the West Alabama Corridor project. "That was the purpose of Rebuild Alabama, for Alabama projects; the folks in my district and others in the West Alabama Corridor have been paying the gas tax just like everybody else, and they should get a return on their investment, especially for a project that is as needed as this one,"  he said. "Secondly, the project itself isn't closed off to other alternative means of funding, so in the future, if there's a grant, federal money or other dollars that could come to help pay for it, we are all willing to take advantage of it."

Clay McBrien, ALDOT assistant chief engineer, last week said the planned improvement to Alabama Highway 43, which has been championed by Gov. Kay Ivey, was expected in last year's estimates to cost about $800 million. He also said it could be as high as $1.1 billion.

Tony Harris, a spokesman for ALDOT, said the department was pleased to meet with the trio of lawmakers. "We are prepared to continue discussions and provide any information we can,"  Harris told ADN. "The West Alabama Highway has strong support as it will open up economic development opportunities and connect Alabamians in this under-served part of the state to jobs, medical care and other necessities."

Elliott said he'd be asking the same questions if so much state gas tax money were to be spent in Lee or Madison counties. "At the end of the day, the long-term health of this project would be so much better served by a financing plan that may actually stand the test of time,"  Elliott said. "And that financing plan would have to involve some federal money. But I'm worried that what we end up with is a piece of a project that eventually in the very near future, we realize we can't afford."

Roberts, chair of the contract review committee, said he is coordinating another meeting. "I am very much for the west corridor, it's just the financing where my concern is,"  Roberts said. He'd like to see some federal funding. "The number of legislators who have reached out with concerns about this has definitely increased in the last week, that is for sure,"  Roberts said.

[froggie]

It is already widened through Reform, but as a non-divided five lane road.

ALDOT is actually planning a road diet on US 82 through Reform, I crap you not.

What a joke.

That project's actually believable.  Traffic volumes on US 82 through Reform are well under 10K, definitely in the range of a 4-to-3 conversion.  Despite what Cody noted, US 82 is a 4-lane undivided through Reform, not 5 lanes.  The only left turn lane within the town proper is at AL 17 South.  No idea what left turning counts are through town, but given the number of driveways, this project may well improve operations by getting the left turning traffic out of a through lane.

[bwana39]

Here is the comparison of what is there now, versus the proposed restriping.

4 Lanes double yellow in the middle. No median, No shoulders.

Proposed

Is 2 lanes ( 1 each direction) with dedicated continuous single left turn lane and shoulders. With the 45 MPH maximum limit though town, there will not be significant passing anyway. Traffic should move as good or better. Traffic safety should improve.

They should be building a bypass like at Gordo (the next town over.)  Going west the next place that is not at LEAST 4 lane divided is right before I-55. To the east it is four lane divided once you get out of Pickins County to  past Tuscaloosa.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update on the US-43 road and I-65:

https://aldailynews.com/west-alabama-corridor-and-i-65-expansion-equally-important-ivey-and-britt-say/

[asdfjkll]

ALDOT Southwest Region has announced that the SR-158 extension all the way to the Mississippi state line will open on Tuesday, October 17. The existing/old US-98 where it ties into the new SR-158 extension from the southeast will be closed for four weeks starting October 17 to build the new T-intersection tie-in to the new alignment. The construction plans show US-98 being cosigned with SR-158 through the section mentioned above, not sure if this continues all the way to US-43 or not, and what state route number the old US-98 routing will get.

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe old US 98 could have its unsigned co-designation of AL 42 become signposted, at least to its junction with US 45. I would also extend the 45 designation to US 90 at the Government St./S. Broad St. intersection.

[Voyager75]

ALDOT Southwest Region has announced that the SR-158 extension all the way to the Mississippi state line will open on Tuesday, October 17. The existing/old US-98 where it ties into the new SR-158 extension from the southeast will be closed for four weeks starting October 17 to build the new T-intersection tie-in to the new alignment. The construction plans show US-98 being cosigned with SR-158 through the section mentioned above, not sure if this continues all the way to US-43 or not, and what state route number the old US-98 routing will get.

Maybe old US 98 could have its unsigned co-designation of AL 42 become signposted, at least to its junction with US 45. I would also extend the 45 designation to US 90 at the Government St./S. Broad St. intersection.

They should fully reroute US-98 to US-43 and hope they do but I wouldn't be surprised if they just run it to US-45 and co-sign US-45/98 down to the end of US-45. Just make old US-98 Alternate 98. "Less changes" that way especially through Mobile proper. They could truncate US-45 to end at the new US-98. They would keep the short AL-158 portion signed to I-65 and US-43 as it's well established and "locals know it".

ALDOT being ALDOT they may just leave both routes signed as US-98 like they did with US-78 in Birmingham after I-22 was built. Put new US-98 signs up along the new road and they just disappear once it reaches the already built AL-158 portion. Find your own way back to the old alignment.

[asdfjkll]

The SR-158 extension officially opened today: https://www.fox10tv.com/video/2023/10/17/newly-completed-sr-158-opens-mobile-county/

[froggie]

ALDOT being ALDOT they may just leave both routes signed as US-98 like they did with US-78 in Birmingham after I-22 was built. Put new US-98 signs up along the new road and they just disappear once it reaches the already built AL-158 portion. Find your own way back to the old alignment.

The news clip that asdfjkll posted includes two scenes that show the extension is only signed as AL 158.  One scene shows an "EAST AL 158" trailblazer while another shows "TO WEST US 98" and "WEST AL 158".

[The Ghostbuster]

It doesn't look like the AL 158 extension will be four lanes in its entirety, at least not initially. Then again, pre-existing 158 is two lanes west of Newburn Rd., as well as east of Sparta Dr. It looks like the only new interchange will a jug-handle at Wilmer-Georgetown Rd. It will probably be a few years before US 98 is rerouted onto 158's alignment.

[jrStudios]

So there is this weird version of Highway Gothic. When was this used and when was it no longer used?

[Rothman]

So there is this weird version of Highway Gothic. When was this used and when was it no longer used?

It's used when someone doesn't know how to use the software and fonts and causes this glitch.

[jrStudios]

So there is this weird version of Highway Gothic. When was this used and when was it no longer used?

It's used when someone doesn't know how to use the software and fonts and causes this glitch.

What do you mean? It also occured in Texas too. Hwever, they were fixed around the time Clearview existed. Could be a prototype or something.

[formulanone]

So there is this weird version of Highway Gothic. When was this used and when was it no longer used?

It's used when someone doesn't know how to use the software and fonts and causes this glitch.

What do you mean? It also occured in Texas too. Hwever, they were fixed around the time Clearview existed. Could be a prototype or something.

It's not an all-new font, but a misapplication of the rules for matching the x-height of a lowercase letter against the height of the uppercase letters on a sign. We tend to call it the "three-quarters error" or something like that.

Huntsville has an example on Memorial Boulevard (US 231):



It's not uncommon, but thankfully not widespread; however, it has been noted in several different states. Here's one from Florida...

[codyg1985]

ALDOT has in its December letting the project to resurface US 82 through Reform, which probably means the road diet is going to happen at that point.

[The Ghostbuster]

I dislike road diets. The only way a road diet might work is if they also build a four-lane bypass of Reform. If Gordo can get a bypass constructed, so can Reform.

[lordsutch]

I dislike road diets. The only way a road diet might work is if they also build a four-lane bypass of Reform. If Gordo can get a bypass constructed, so can Reform.

Eventually it probably should happen but I think the bigger priority for US 82 is extending the four-lane on US 82 from Centreville (sic) to Prattville, either directly or a new terrain route tying into I-65 near Clanton. It's bizarre that Tuscaloosa still doesn't have a direct four-lane connection to Montgomery.

Theoretically a Reform bypass would be easy but you're either stuck crossing the railroad twice (expensive bridges) or you have to loop way  to the north to bypass the airport.

[bdmoss88]

I dislike road diets. The only way a road diet might work is if they also build a four-lane bypass of Reform. If Gordo can get a bypass constructed, so can Reform.

Eventually it probably should happen but I think the bigger priority for US 82 is extending the four-lane on US 82 from Centreville (sic) to Prattville, either directly or a new terrain route tying into I-65 near Clanton. It's bizarre that Tuscaloosa still doesn't have a direct four-lane connection to Montgomery.

Theoretically a Reform bypass would be easy but you're either stuck crossing the railroad twice (expensive bridges) or you have to loop way  to the north to bypass the airport.

Having to cross the railroad twice via a southern route is why the Gordo bypass ended up going north.

[freebrickproductions]

I have to wonder if Alt. US 72/AL 20 through Town Creek will get a similar treatment in the future, given that it's a four-lane road through there with a 45 MPH speed limit and cops watching drivers like a hawk through it.

[asdfjkll]

I have to wonder if Alt. US 72/AL 20 through Town Creek will get a similar treatment in the future, given that it's a four-lane road through there with a 45 MPH speed limit and cops watching drivers like a hawk through it.

ALDOT has a resurfacing project planned through Town Creek, if a road diet does get proposed there would be a public involvement meeting for it as what happened with Thorsby and Reform in West Central Region. Surprised that they didn't build a bypass around Town Creek like they did with Courtland when the other sections of AL-20 were 4-laned.

[freebrickproductions]

Surprised that they didn't build a bypass around Town Creek like they did with Courtland when the other sections of AL-20 were 4-laned.

I assume it was because it was already 4-lanes through Town Creek, albeit undivided. Wouldn't be too surprised if the residents of Town Creek objected to a bypass as well.

[lordsutch]

I have to wonder if Alt. US 72/AL 20 through Town Creek will get a similar treatment in the future, given that it's a four-lane road through there with a 45 MPH speed limit and cops watching drivers like a hawk through it.

I figure whatever plans ALDOT had for improving Alt US 72 got shelved along with the rest of the Memphis-Huntsville-Atlanta interstate project. So unless that comes back from the dead, or a truncated version thereof (a counterbalance to I-565 for the Shoals?), I don't expect anything to happen.

Besides which, there's bigger fish to fry than the one traffic signal in Town Creek, like the increasing number of signals on Alt 72 going through Decatur and the annoying slog through the outskirts of the Shoals further west.

[freebrickproductions]

I have to wonder if Alt. US 72/AL 20 through Town Creek will get a similar treatment in the future, given that it's a four-lane road through there with a 45 MPH speed limit and cops watching drivers like a hawk through it.

I figure whatever plans ALDOT had for improving Alt US 72 got shelved along with the rest of the Memphis-Huntsville-Atlanta interstate project. So unless that comes back from the dead, or a truncated version thereof (a counterbalance to I-565 for the Shoals?), I don't expect anything to happen.

Part of why I figure that, if anything happens, it'd be a road-diet to reduce the number of lanes from four to three through town.

Besides which, there's bigger fish to fry than the one traffic signal in Town Creek, like the increasing number of signals on Alt 72 going through Decatur and the annoying slog through the outskirts of the Shoals further west.

Ironically, I don't find those areas to be too bad, at least while chasing trains? Though, with the ever-increasing number of industries along AL 20 in NW Decatur/Trinity, I suppose the increase of traffic lights along that stretch is to be expected...