Mobile-Baldwin

[Alex]

Portion of Baldwin Beach Express to open Thursday

A seven-mile southbound stretch of the Baldwin Beach Express that will allow motorists to travel between U.S. 90 and the Foley Beach Express is slated to open Thursday.

The Baldwin Beach Express is a 13-mile highway that will run from Interstate 10 to the Foley Beach Express when the entire road is finished.

The cost of the highway is about $85 million. It is expected to be finished sometime between late July and mid-August, Markert said.

The highway was expected to be completed this spring, but flooding in late April caused a delay in the construction.

When the project is finished, it will include an interchange that will feed traffic onto the Baldwin Beach Express from I-10.

[Alex]

New 'roundabout' road feature coming to Three Notch Road, Dawes Lane

Mobile County recently started work on the county's second roundabout at the intersection of Three Notch Road, Dawes Lane and Dawes Lane Extension according to Mobile County spokeswoman Nancy Johnson.

The $536,000 intersection project for the one-lane roundabout will take up to seven months to complete. Detours will be in place and motorists are asked to exercise caution in the area.

Mobile County was the first county in the State of Alabama to receive federal dollars for construction of a roundabout under the High Risk Rural Road Program. It led to the construction of the roundabout at Grelot and Cody Roads.

The county had sought funding for the Three Notch and Dawes intersection to reduce the numbers of right angle crashes that occurred there and will receive federal assistance through the Federal Highway Safety Administration.   

[codyg1985]

So Dawes Lane will have a roundabout with itself and Three Notch Road? 

[codyg1985]

The EIS on the I-10 Mobile River Bridge is expected to hit sometime this week or next week: http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2014/07/long-awaited_i-10_bridge_envio.html

[codyg1985]

Apparently the EIS has still not been released on the proposed I-10 Mobile River Bridge: http://fox10tv.com/2014/07/21/proposed-i-10-brigde-project-at-a-stand-still/

[Alex]

Another delay for I-10

The public release date on a 2,000-page report on the proposed Interstate 10 bridge in Mobile is -- much like a Friday afternoon rush hour traffic jam on the nearby Bayway -- backed up.

State transportation officials say the wait shouldn't be much longer.

Hamlett said a 45-day comment period officially kicks in once the study is posted on the Federal Register. She said the state doesn't anticipate doing that until Aug. 8.

Hamlett said that ALDOT is scheduling public meetings in Mobile and Baldwin counties for late September.

[codyg1985]

I wonder what the number of the existing I-10 through the tunnel will become after the bridge is built, if it is ever built? I could see it being a 3di loop like I-210 or I-410, but, then again, ALDOT may just redesignate it as a state route.

Or, if the bridge ends up being tolled, then I could see the bridge being "TOLL I-10" while the tunnel remains I-10, like what Texas is doing with their toll lanes, but applied to an entire new route.

[Alex]

I wonder what the number of the existing I-10 through the tunnel will become after the bridge is built, if it is ever built? I could see it being a 3di loop like I-210 or I-410, but, then again, ALDOT may just redesignate it as a state route.

Or, if the bridge ends up being tolled, then I could see the bridge being "TOLL I-10" while the tunnel remains I-10, like what Texas is doing with their toll lanes, but applied to an entire new route.

I asked an ALDOT engineer that back in 2003. They had not thought that far ahead, but I-210 or Business Loop I-10 were concepts we discussed.

[Alex]

I-10 East ramp at Battleship Parkway closed for 6 to 8 weeks

An on-ramp from Battleship Parkway to Interstate 10 East will be closed six to eight weeks after its surface was damaged Thursday when a tanker truck exploded.

Not sure if this is the ramp immediately east of the Bankhead Tunnel or the one at the mid point of the Bayway. Either way, the ramp near the tunnel was out of commission for a long time due to a truck accident years ago and the one at the midpoint was damaged by Hurricane Katrina and similarly shut down for a period of time.

When the western most on-ramp was closed, all traffic had to use the first three miles of Battleship Parkway to access I-10 east. This is still the case if you travel from the Cochrane-Africatown Bridge southward. Access was restricted to the tunnel when that ramp reopened.



Edit... From the ALDOT twitter feed, its the on-ramp at the mid-point of the Causeway, meaning that if you take US 90 across the Cochrane-Africatown Bridge, you have to wait until the on-ramp in Daphne.

ALDOT Mobile Area ‏@ALDOTMobileArea  3h
EB US 90/98 travelers from the Cochrane Bridge will have to remain on US 90/98 and access I-10 in Daphne until further notice.

[barcncpt44]

And now a longtime Mobile lawyer is thinking about suing to stop the I-10 bridge from being built.  Does this guy realize that something is needed to solve the traffic problems?  http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2014/08/i-10_bridge_project_could_face.html#incart_river

[Alex]

The eastbound on-ramp at the Bankhead Tunnel exit was reconfigured to allow access from U.S. 90 & U.S. 98 Truck east from Cochrane Causeway. This restores the ramp to its original configuration, albeit temporarily until the mid-point on-ramp re-opens in 6 to 8 weeks.

Temporary traffic control opens on-ramp to U.S. 90/98 drivers, exit 30 ramp remains closed

Drivers taking U.S. Highway 90/98 from Mobile into Baldwin County can get onto Jubilee Parkway using the on-ramp on the eastern side of the Bankhead Tunnel, according to the Department of Transportation.

Temporary traffic control was set up on Friday afternoon, one day after a fiery tanker truck explosion damaged the Interstate 10 East on-ramp at exit 30. The damaged ramp usually carries motorists traveling on U.S. 90/98.

Another group expresses concern for the impact of the potential new bridge for Interstate 10...

Historic church has concerns about proposed I-10 Mobile River Bridge

[brownpelican]

Anyone see this site?

www.mobileriverbridge.com

It was linked in the Times-Picayune today.

[andy3175]

I wonder what the number of the existing I-10 through the tunnel will become after the bridge is built, if it is ever built? I could see it being a 3di loop like I-210 or I-410, but, then again, ALDOT may just redesignate it as a state route.

Or, if the bridge ends up being tolled, then I could see the bridge being "TOLL I-10" while the tunnel remains I-10, like what Texas is doing with their toll lanes, but applied to an entire new route.

I asked an ALDOT engineer that back in 2003. They had not thought that far ahead, but I-210 or Business Loop I-10 were concepts we discussed.

Any thought that the old route through the tunnel might be downgraded to surface street or express boulevard with traffic lights in the business loop scenario? Or are the plans to keep it a freeway, perhaps restricted in some way for certain types of traffic?

[Alex]

I wonder what the number of the existing I-10 through the tunnel will become after the bridge is built, if it is ever built? I could see it being a 3di loop like I-210 or I-410, but, then again, ALDOT may just redesignate it as a state route.

Or, if the bridge ends up being tolled, then I could see the bridge being "TOLL I-10" while the tunnel remains I-10, like what Texas is doing with their toll lanes, but applied to an entire new route.

I asked an ALDOT engineer that back in 2003. They had not thought that far ahead, but I-210 or Business Loop I-10 were concepts we discussed.

Any thought that the old route through the tunnel might be downgraded to surface street or express boulevard with traffic lights in the business loop scenario? Or are the plans to keep it a freeway, perhaps restricted in some way for certain types of traffic?

Definitely will remain limited access, especially with the interim plan to change the Canal Street interchange to a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) and remove the Water Street flyovers.

[Alex]

Baldwin Beach Express set to open next week

The four-lane, $85 million Baldwin Beach Express is set to open next week.

The Alabama Department of Transportation is planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for 2:15 p.m. Aug. 15, said Cal Markert, Baldwin County engineer.

[Alex]

Baldwin Beach Express: 'A nice glide through Baldwin County'

The last part of the project to be completed and opened is an I-10 interchange. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the entire $86.7 million, four-lane road has been planned for 2:15 p.m. Friday near the interchange.

[Alex]

Will Labor Day weekend mean traffic galore for Baldwin Beach Express?

Baldwin County Engineer Cal Markert isn't sure the Labor Day holiday weekend will mean lots of traffic for the Baldwin Beach Express.

Markert said the new four-lane highway is showing up on Google maps, but other companies have been slow to put the road on their mapping systems.

"We really tried to get that on there several months ago," he said earlier this week. "It's taking longer than you'd think, so I really don't know what to expect."

[codyg1985]

'We need help': Some traffic relief on horizon in Orange Beach but long-term solutions remain elusive: http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2014/09/we_need_help_some_traffic_reli.html

Long-term projects such as the proposed cross-island connector and Wolf Bay bridge remain priorities for the city, but they lack funding beyond Orange Beach. Still, some short-term relief for Canal Road was announced by state highway officials at the Tuesday gathering.

[Alex]

I cannot see tolls working here. The Wallace Tunnel would have to see the implementation of tolls as well for it to work, and the Bankhead would likely be overrun with traffic if it remained the sole free route into Downtown Mobile.

Toll charge on I-10 Bridge viewed by local mayors and county commissioners as viable alternative in financing massive project

[froggie]

Unless you tolled the Bankhead as well.  Tolling all three (Bankhead/Wallace/new bridge) would reduce traffic a fair bit, and the Cochrane-Africatown bridge is better able to handle whatever diversion flow there would be as a result.

Let's face it, though.  The real reason there's a traffic problem at the Wallace Tunnel is rampant development in Baldwin County.  If those Baldwin County folks don't want to pay for a new bridge, whether by gas tax or tolls or whatnot (as indicated by the local Congressman's opposition), then there shouldn't be a new bridge, and they can stew in their own traffic.  The days of "getting something for nothing" are long over.

[Alex]

Drove the completed Baldwin Beach Express last week. All signs for County Road 83 along it were removed. The route is now shielded with green mini guide signs spelling out the name complete with a green directional banner:



Unfortunately they also constructed a new frontage road spurring east from the BBE north end along the eastbound side of I-10. I read on the Mobile Register that a portion of land at the north end interchange is already slated for traveler service style development. So much for preserving the corridor for through traffic.

Traffic lights along the route are at U.S. 90 and at the south end where it meets the Foley Beach Express.



Adding more to a tweet I made on Sunday night, Clearview based signs for Orange Beach and Gulf Shores start on U.S. 98 east ahead of I-65, directing motorists onto I-65 north to I-165 south to U.S. 90/98 Truck east to Battleship Parkway.

The damaged ramp at the midpoint Bayway interchange was repaired, so now motorists on U.S. 90/98 Truck must continue to that on-ramp instead of using the one at the Bankhead Tunnel.

[codyg1985]

Adding more to a tweet I made on Sunday night, Clearview based signs for Orange Beach and Gulf Shores start on U.S. 98 east ahead of I-65, directing motorists onto I-65 north to I-165 south to U.S. 90/98 Truck east to Battleship Parkway.

Did you manage to get any photos?

[Alex]

Adding more to a tweet I made on Sunday night, Clearview based signs for Orange Beach and Gulf Shores start on U.S. 98 east ahead of I-65, directing motorists onto I-65 north to I-165 south to U.S. 90/98 Truck east to Battleship Parkway.

Did you manage to get any photos?

Took photos of the signs on US 98 east on my way back to Pensacola. The rest I saw at night on a previous drive over to Mobile.









Also forgot to mention, but a new traffic light went up along Alabama 158 (Industrial Parkway) west of I-65 and the split with Alabama 213 (Shelton Beach Road). The I-65 service road was realigned to a new intersection.

[adventurernumber1]

I remember the first time I saw the Baldwin Beach Express on Google Maps in the past year. I remember being confused when I saw it was designated as a county road (Co. Road 83), and due to that, and the fact I never remembered seeing the expressway-looking road before, I did some digging. After looking at the area on the map, and looking at Street view both new & old, I knew sure enough they had quite a project going on. Thanks for the update on the Baldwin Beach Express, Alex. Hopefully sometime in the near future the whole entire road will have street-view, as well as its interchange with I-10, so I can see what it looks like. Also, nice photos.

[Alex]

I remember the first time I saw the Baldwin Beach Express on Google Maps in the past year. I remember being confused when I saw it was designated as a county road (Co. Road 83), and due to that, and the fact I never remembered seeing the expressway-looking road before, I did some digging. After looking at the area on the map, and looking at Street view both new & old, I knew sure enough they had quite a project going on. Thanks for the update on the Baldwin Beach Express, Alex. Hopefully sometime in the near future the whole entire road will have street-view, as well as its interchange with I-10, so I can see what it looks like. Also, nice photos.

I'll be updating our guides on it this week with photos from end to end.

https://www.aaroads.com/guide.php?page=fbeal

Thankfully the 45 mph speed limits on the original northern portion were upped to 55 mph.
The original span for CR 68 over I-10 was retained for the Baldwin Beach Express northbound. Pentagons are posted for CR 68, as the road remains signed both north of I-10 and west from the BBE.