The 2017-18 Alabama state highway map shows an expressway under construction beginning at AL 13 near Spruce Pine heading southeast for a few miles. Where is this expressway going to connect to, and what highway number will it get?
I believe that's supposed to be a new alignment for the twinning of AL 13, which creates a bypass around Phil Campbell and Haleyville. It's been 10-15 years in the making, and the high hopes for it to connect to I-22 may never happen.
http://www.hbtv.us/news/?story_id=2280
This is the following quote from the aforementioned article:
(http:///%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EBridges%20were%20constructed%20first%20over%20Bear%20Creek%20just%20south%20of%20Mon%20Dye%20on%20the%20south%20end%20and%20then%20over%20the%20Norfolk%20Southern%20Railroad%20on%20the%20north%20end%20just%20south%20of%20Spruce%20Pine.%20The%20cost%20of%20building%20all%20three%20sets%20of%20bridges,%20including%20the%20third,%20is%20approximately%20$40%20million.%20%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EThe%20Gas%20Branch%20Creek%20bridge%20is%20being%20built%20by%20Wright%20Brothers%20Construction%20of%20Charleston,%20TN.%20Project%20Manager%20Eric%20Samples%20stated%20even%20with%20weather%20and%20a%20difficult%20location,%20the%20bridge%20should%20be%20completed%20by%20next%20April.%20Most%20of%20the%20work%20on%20the%20vertical%20support%20columns%20is%20complete%20as%20can%20be%20seen%20in%20the%20aerial%20photo%20above.%20This%20set%20of%20bridges%20will%20effectively%20complete%20the%20first%20segment%20from%20Spruce%20Pine%20to%20Franklin%20County%20Highway%2079.%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EWith%20funding,%20not%20yet%20allocated,%20property%20for%20the%20right-of-way%20will%20be%20purchased%20and%20construction%20can%20begin%20on%20the%20next%20segment%20from%20CH%2079%20to%20Highway%20195%20next%20to%20Walmart%20in%20Haleyville.%20This%20is%20scheduled%20outside%20the%20five%20year%20plan%20in%202020%20and%20beyond.%20Haleyville%20Mayor%20Ken%20Sunseri%20and%20a%20group%20of%20citizens%20traveled%20to%20Montgomery%20in%20an%20effort%20to%20secure%20funding%20for%20the%20completion%20of%20this%20project.%20The%20lobbying%20party%20was%20told%20this%20project%20appeared%20to%20be%20a%20"road%20to%20nowhere"%20and%20even%20if%20it%20was%20completed,%20there%20would%20not%20be%20enough%20traffic%20to%20justify%20it's%20construction.%20The%20priority%20of%20funding%20appeared%20to%20be%20the%20proposed%20northern%20bypass%20of%20Birmingham.%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EThe%20plan%20from%20the%20start%20was%20to%20construct%20both%20of%20these%20segments,%20pave%20them%20and%20then%20open%20the%20road%20for%20use%20from%20Spruce%20Pine%20to%20Haleyville,%20bypassing%20Phil%20Campbell%20and%20Bear%20Creek.%20At%20this%20point,%20if%20this%20happens%20before%20the%20completion%20of%20the%20third%20segment%20to%20Winston%20County%20Road%2017,%20south%20of%20Haleyville,%20it%20will%20place%20all%20the%20Highway%2013%20traffic%20onto%20Highway%20195%20from%20Walmart%20to%20the%20current%20location%20of%20the%20Highway%2013%20and%20195%20intersection.%20%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EJames%20Brown,%20Division%20Engineer%20for%20the%20Alabama%20Department%20of%20Transportation%20recently%20stated:%20"We%20have%20never%20stopped%20working%20on%20this%20project."%20Building%20a%20new%20four-lane%20highway%20where%20no%20road%20has%20existed%20before%20is%20a%20major%20project.%20An%20even%20bigger%20hurdle%20is%20the%20political%20process%20of%20keeping%20it%20funded.%20%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EWright%20Brothers%20is%20also%20the%20prime%20contractor%20for%20a%20five%20lane%20bridge%20under%20construction%20over%20the%20Buttahachee%20River%20east%20of%20Hamilton.%20The%20existing%20two%20lane%20bridge%20will%20be%20replaced%20over%20a%20period%20of%20time%20by%20the%20new%20bridge%20which%20should%20improve%20traffic%20flow%20near%20Hamilton%20on%20Highway%20278.%20Samples%20stated%20that%20project%20should%20be%20completed%20by%20next%20April%20also.)
^ Think you're missing something there...
Quote from: Henry on September 22, 2017, 09:28:33 AM
This is the following quote from the aforementioned article:
The Alabama State Highway 13 four-lane project dubbed the I-22 Connector and known locally as the "Haleyville Bypass" is still under construction, despite rumors that it was not. One of the last hurdles to completing the first segment of the four-lane is the construction of dual bridges over Gas Branch Creek which feeds into Bear Creek in Franklin County.
Bridges were constructed first over Bear Creek just south of Mon Dye on the south end and then over the Norfolk Southern Railroad on the north end just south of Spruce Pine. The cost of building all three sets of bridges, including the third, is approximately $40 million.
The Gas Branch Creek bridge is being built by Wright Brothers Construction of Charleston, TN. Project Manager Eric Samples stated even with weather and a difficult location, the bridge should be completed by next April. Most of the work on the vertical support columns is complete as can be seen in the aerial photo above. This set of bridges will effectively complete the first segment from Spruce Pine to Franklin County Highway 79.
With funding, not yet allocated, property for the right-of-way will be purchased and construction can begin on the next segment from CH 79 to Highway 195 next to Walmart in Haleyville. This is scheduled outside the five year plan in 2020 and beyond. Haleyville Mayor Ken Sunseri and a group of citizens traveled to Montgomery in an effort to secure funding for the completion of this project. The lobbying party was told this project appeared to be a "road to nowhere" and even if it was completed, there would not be enough traffic to justify it's construction. The priority of funding appeared to be the proposed northern bypass of Birmingham.
The plan from the start was to construct both of these segments, pave them and then open the road for use from Spruce Pine to Haleyville, bypassing Phil Campbell and Bear Creek. At this point, if this happens before the completion of the third segment to Winston County Road 17, south of Haleyville, it will place all the Highway 13 traffic onto Highway 195 from Walmart to the current location of the Highway 13 and 195 intersection.
James Brown, Division Engineer for the Alabama Department of Transportation recently stated: "We have never stopped working on this project." Building a new four-lane highway where no road has existed before is a major project. An even bigger hurdle is the political process of keeping it funded.
Wright Brothers is also the prime contractor for a five lane bridge under construction over the Buttahachee River east of Hamilton. The existing two lane bridge will be replaced over a period of time by the new bridge which should improve traffic flow near Hamilton on Highway 278. Samples stated that project should be completed by next April also.
Henry, you used [ img ] [ /img ] tags around your quote, and it nullified it.
It looks like this project is pretty much at the same place as it was when I moved from that area 14 years ago. If they get it completed to 195 before having the southern part beyond that done, I sure wouldn't want anything to do with that traffic kludge on 195 back over to 13 unless they've done some pretty major improvements to that section of 195 in the interim.
Would they really need that significant of an improvement? Wouldn't be all that different (and actually less traffic) than when they temporarily routed US 78 along AL 129 when Corridor X ended there 15-some years ago.
That section of AL 129 is straight and has a center turn lane. AL 195 in Haleyville is a narrow, curvy, two-lane. I guess it really isn't different than most of AL 13 that is to be bypassed so, yeah, it probably wouldn't make so much difference. It has been a long time but it just seems like I remember most trips out to WalMart being kind of a pain with the little bit of traffic there at the time.
Quote from: formulanone on September 22, 2017, 09:54:54 AM
Quote from: Henry on September 22, 2017, 09:28:33 AM
This is the following quote from the aforementioned article:
The Alabama State Highway 13 four-lane project dubbed the I-22 Connector and known locally as the "Haleyville Bypass" is still under construction, despite rumors that it was not. One of the last hurdles to completing the first segment of the four-lane is the construction of dual bridges over Gas Branch Creek which feeds into Bear Creek in Franklin County.
Bridges were constructed first over Bear Creek just south of Mon Dye on the south end and then over the Norfolk Southern Railroad on the north end just south of Spruce Pine. The cost of building all three sets of bridges, including the third, is approximately $40 million.
The Gas Branch Creek bridge is being built by Wright Brothers Construction of Charleston, TN. Project Manager Eric Samples stated even with weather and a difficult location, the bridge should be completed by next April. Most of the work on the vertical support columns is complete as can be seen in the aerial photo above. This set of bridges will effectively complete the first segment from Spruce Pine to Franklin County Highway 79.
With funding, not yet allocated, property for the right-of-way will be purchased and construction can begin on the next segment from CH 79 to Highway 195 next to Walmart in Haleyville. This is scheduled outside the five year plan in 2020 and beyond. Haleyville Mayor Ken Sunseri and a group of citizens traveled to Montgomery in an effort to secure funding for the completion of this project. The lobbying party was told this project appeared to be a "road to nowhere" and even if it was completed, there would not be enough traffic to justify it's construction. The priority of funding appeared to be the proposed northern bypass of Birmingham.
The plan from the start was to construct both of these segments, pave them and then open the road for use from Spruce Pine to Haleyville, bypassing Phil Campbell and Bear Creek. At this point, if this happens before the completion of the third segment to Winston County Road 17, south of Haleyville, it will place all the Highway 13 traffic onto Highway 195 from Walmart to the current location of the Highway 13 and 195 intersection.
James Brown, Division Engineer for the Alabama Department of Transportation recently stated: "We have never stopped working on this project." Building a new four-lane highway where no road has existed before is a major project. An even bigger hurdle is the political process of keeping it funded.
Wright Brothers is also the prime contractor for a five lane bridge under construction over the Buttahachee River east of Hamilton. The existing two lane bridge will be replaced over a period of time by the new bridge which should improve traffic flow near Hamilton on Highway 278. Samples stated that project should be completed by next April also.
Henry, you used [ img ] [ /img ] tags around your quote, and it nullified it.
I meant to do the
Quote
tags instead, and I was just being careless with it, which doesn't happen too often.
As far as I know the project is stalled. The bridges are finished along the route, but without grading and bridges going to at least AL 195, it is essentially a road to nowhere.
Quote from: codyg1985 on September 26, 2017, 07:56:10 AM
As far as I know the project is stalled. The bridges are finished along the route, but without grading and bridges going to at least AL 195, it is essentially a road to nowhere.
Don't forget that it took at least 10 years to pave what are now the SB lanes of AL-75 between Palmerdale and Oneonta after the roadway had been graded.
Is this project officially dead?
Nothing in the STIP appears for it to be extended south, so until someone revives it, I'd call or dead.
Do road projects in Alabama ever die?
I thought they sort of lingered until someone from the impacted area comes to political power, or until someone in Montgomery needs support from the impacted area.
I don't see the need for the road. At best, a two-lane segment can be opened for local traffic.
Quote from: cbalducc on March 16, 2023, 05:57:53 PM
I don't see the need for the road. At best, a two-lane segment can be opened for local traffic.
In other states this would potentially be built as an improved two-lane road with shoulders and ample passing opportunities. Maybe if they built it that way, they'd finish it.
Quote from: codyg1985 on March 16, 2023, 06:58:05 PM
Quote from: cbalducc on March 16, 2023, 05:57:53 PM
I don't see the need for the road. At best, a two-lane segment can be opened for local traffic.
In other states this would potentially be built as an improved two-lane road with shoulders and ample passing opportunities. Maybe if they built it that way, they'd finish it.
Yeah I don't know why they didn't even do a super-2 in the completed graded and bridged segment (which is what they are doing on the SR-158 extension to Mississippi). The first segment could also be just a side road access and applied a SR-513 state route number until all of the new alignment is done and SR-13 is relocated onto it, which then the intersection gets redone so that the new alignment becomes the main through movement. Then later on when they got more money they can duplicate the new alignment to the final dual carriageway configuration on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Quote from: MikeTheActuary on March 16, 2023, 05:26:15 PM
Do road projects in Alabama ever die?
Several years ago, ALDOT officially withdrew the "I-85 Extension" in the Federal Register. That sounded to me like a kill...