Montgomery, AL to Marianna, FL

[edwaleni]

Having traveled in and out of Florida going northwest, I was curious if anyone thinks that a more limited access route from Marianna FL, around Dothan, AL on up to Montgomery has any potential?

With the new I-22 opening between Memphis and Birmingham, it appears to be a good opportunity for a comprehensive Atlanta bypass. At the moment, much traffic has to traverse I-75 and I-20, this proposed route appears to offer congestion avoidance and help Dothan deal with their US-231/US-431 "ring" problems.

Does anyone know if ALDOT has any plans in this space once I-22 is done? Seems pretty straightforward. Traffic on US-231 between Dothan and Troy was significant. While it is 4 lane, it is not limited access and is rife with stop lights, grade crossings and periodic driveways.

The traffic lights alone in Dothan are almost a killer.

[jwolfer]

Having traveled in and out of Florida going northwest, I was curious if anyone thinks that a more limited access route from Marianna FL, around Dothan, AL on up to Montgomery has any potential?

With the new I-22 opening between Memphis and Birmingham, it appears to be a good opportunity for a comprehensive Atlanta bypass. At the moment, much traffic has to traverse I-75 and I-20, this proposed route appears to offer congestion avoidance and help Dothan deal with their US-231/US-431 "ring" problems.

Does anyone know if ALDOT has any plans in this space once I-22 is done? Seems pretty straightforward. Traffic on US-231 between Dothan and Troy was significant. While it is 4 lane, it is not limited access and is rife with stop lights, grade crossings and periodic driveways.

The traffic lights alone in Dothan are almost a killer.

I know civic groups in Dothan have lobbied for an interstate.

[MikeTheActuary]

The idea of an I-x10 spur at least to Dothan has been around for a while.

Most recent news article I can quickly find: http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/i--connector-back-on-the-table/article_0d4427a8-aa36-11e3-8b94-001a4bcf6878.html

[codyg1985]

I think ALDOT was thinking of doing a study for a toll road between Dothan and Montgomery, but I have not heard anything about this for a while.

[Alex]

The idea for an I-10 spur to Dothan goes back many years. Here is a 2006 article on the possibility: http://www.wtvy.com/news/headlines/2221392.html

You can also throw it in with similarly failed concepts to extend Interstate 185 south to Albany and Thomasville or Tallahassee. This region wants a freeway, but money is not available and the right political drive isn't strong enough.

Florida is more more interested in better connecting Panama City to Interstate 10, and they have done that with four-laning projects along SR 77 and SR 79. Here's the Northwest Florida Transportation Corridor Authority master plan, which includes more work on the FL 79/AL 167 corridor:



More on the FL 79/AL 167 corridor:
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/85292317.html
http://www.southeastsun.com/news/article_1a009a4a-2172-11e4-97c8-0017a43b2370.html

[Henry]

The idea of an I-x10 spur at least to Dothan has been around for a while.

Most recent news article I can quickly find: http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/i--connector-back-on-the-table/article_0d4427a8-aa36-11e3-8b94-001a4bcf6878.html

You can also throw it in with similarly failed concepts to extend Interstate 185 south to Albany and Thomasville or Tallahassee. This region wants a freeway, but money is not available and the right political drive isn't strong enough.

Not to mention a southern I-67 that would use the US 231 corridor.

[codyg1985]

I have always thought that an interstate connecting Montgomery to I-10 would help relieve traffic off of I-75 in Georgia, However, it would also put additional pressure on I-65 north of Montgomery, which already sees a lot of traffic during the summer.

[freebrickproductions]

I have always thought that an interstate connecting Montgomery to I-10 would help relieve traffic off of I-75 in Georgia, However, it would also put additional pressure on I-65 north of Montgomery, which already sees a lot of traffic during the summer.

I remember back in 2011 riding through Birmingham on I-65 while there was road work. It was a complete nightmare.
We ended up using US 31 to avoid all of the traffic on the interstate. It helped that we had already gone through a massive spot of congestion on I-65 somewhere north of Montgomery due to a truck towing a mobile home going into the median for some reason or another.

[ttownfeen]

Well, since we're talking functional highways in this thread, here's my idea:

Upgrade US 231 between Montgomery and Mariana and call it I-65. Rename the existing 65 from Montgomery to Mobile as a continuation of I-85 (and thus I-165 in Mobile becomes I-185).

Upgrade 231 between Mariana and Panama City and call I-165.

These all might just have to be toll facilities.

[codyg1985]

Well, since we're talking functional highways in this thread, here's my idea:

Upgrade US 231 between Montgomery and Mariana and call it I-65. Rename the existing 65 from Montgomery to Mobile as a continuation of I-85 (and thus I-165 in Mobile becomes I-185).

Upgrade 231 between Mariana and Panama City and call I-165.

These all might just have to be toll facilities.

The idea of building a new I-65 between Montgomery and I-10 and replacing I-65 with I-85 has been talked about on here somewhere (can't remember where).

[edwaleni]

Excellent feedback from all, thank you.

I have started recommending this route for people coming to Florida from the midwest. (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota) I tell them that Dothan is a hold up, but the rest should flow really well.

The feedback from all of them was that this was an excellent route for many reasons.  Avoiding Atlanta was #1 on everyone's list. 

I also use this route to reach SW Missouri via I-22 in Birmingham. and then use the future I-555 (US 63) to Jonesboro, AR from Memphis.

If in the future I wouldn't be surprised if this is linked to a new route to Panama Beach.

[froggie]

Anyone else spot the error in the map Alex posted?

[Mapmikey]

Anyone else spot the error in the map Alex posted?

I see 2 unrelated errors on this map...

Mike

[freebrickproductions]

Anyone else spot the error in the map Alex posted?

I see 2 unrelated errors on this map...

Mike

Not sure if it's the ones y'all've spotted, but the map of Port St. Joe, FL's rail lines (at least that's what it appears to be) isn't accurate.

[Eth]

Anyone else spot the error in the map Alex posted?

US 59 isn't in Florida. I'm guessing that should be SR 59 instead.

[froggie]

That's another error, but not the first error I was commenting about...

[route29]

That's another error, but not the first error I was commenting about...

US 319 between Port St Joe and Apalachicola?

[mariethefoxy]

chances are if Florida builds it, it will be a tollway, they seem to never build any state route freeways anymore unless its a toll road.