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[Charles2]

Looks as if the October 2014 completion date for the I-22/I-65 interchange may be wishful thinking.  According to an article on al.com, we may be looking at sometime in the spring or summer of '15:

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/11/diverting_interstate_22_rankin.html#incart_river_default

Judging from what I saw last weekend, I can't say that I'm surprised.

[codyg1985]

Updated photos from 11/18/2013 of the I-22/I-65 interchange construction: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/11/i-22_interchange_at_i-65_const_2.html#incart_river_default

[I94RoadRunner]

How is the I-22/I-65 interchange coming along? Any progress? They were starting when I was there last July.

I just drove I-22 a couple of weeks ago on the way back to MN from Fort Myers, FL and it looks like there is still quite a bit of work to do yet at I-65. Despite not connecting to an interstate yet officially, there are now official I-22 signs (some with the state name) in Alabama. Mississippi still has future I-22 signs however.

On another note, there is construction at what is the future I-269 beltline from Future I-22 westward toward I-55/I-69. Finally after both ends are completed, I-22 will be a legitimate interstate!

[msunat97]

I drove I-22 from Memphis to Birmingham last week.  The drive thru Mississippi was good.  MDOT has greatly improved the road.  The New Albany construction is progressing well.  Once I got into Alabama, the oldest sections of the road are beginning to show their age.  Lots of rough areas around Hamilton & Jasper.

[codyg1985]

ALDOT is supposed to let a resurfacing project next January for the section of I-22 around Jasper, between Exits 57 and 65.

[Tomahawkin]

Drove I-22 Today. There is one last section left in the New Albany "widening to Interstate grade plan" that needs to be finished. Its a Much smoother ride. Hopefully once its done the speed limit there will be 70...That current 50mph Speed limit in that Town Sucks!

Also It looks like the IH 269 Bridges over 22 near Byhalia will be completed by late summer. There is no clearing/road development to the East of 22 but there looked to be gradual clearing to the west...I just wonder why they made that 269 By-Pass So far away from those NW Miss Suburbs (Southhaven, Olive Branch, etc) of Memphis? There is Nothing population (density-wise) out where that 269 bypass is being planned....

[codyg1985]

"Economic Development" and "Industry Recruitment"

[golden eagle]

^^
If you build it, they will come...

[NE2]

Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.

[formulanone]

Breasts also increase in size during pregnancy.

[Alps]

"Economic Development" and "Industry Recruitment"

Is this the same reason I-269 has an expensive SPUI at TN 57 instead of a simple diamond (plenty of room), folded diamond, or similar/much cheaper?

[lordsutch]

Is this the same reason I-269 has an expensive SPUI at TN 57 instead of a simple diamond (plenty of room), folded diamond, or similar/much cheaper?

Not sure if a SPUI is substantially more expensive than a simple diamond, really.

My guess is that since it was planned as part of the Nonconnah/Bill Morris leg, and close to the urbanized area, it got a SPUI like every other interchange except Ridgeway. And in 20 years that area will be urbanized (if you look at the satellite imagery, urban development stops at the county line for now, but Piperton has plans to grow a lot).  The new Norfolk Southern intermodal yard is also just a few miles to the east, although the truck traffic mostly goes south to US 72 rather than north to Hwy 57.

[Scott5114]

Is this the same reason I-269 has an expensive SPUI at TN 57 instead of a simple diamond (plenty of room), folded diamond, or similar/much cheaper?

Not sure if a SPUI is substantially more expensive than a simple diamond, really.

I would imagine the added square footage of a bigger bridge would make it more expensive.

[froggie]

Not sure if a SPUI is substantially more expensive than a simple diamond, really.

I would imagine the added square footage of a bigger bridge would make it more expensive.

Correct.  SPUIs typically also have more retaining wall requirements than a "simple diamond" which also drives up the cost.

[codyg1985]

And if it is a SPUI with the freeway over the intersecting road, a longer span is required between piers, which also drives up the cost.

[UptownRoadGeek]

...aren't most of the exits along TN 365 SPUIs to begsn with, as well as most new interchanges in the Memphis area including some not on highways?

[Grzrd]

There's an environmental assessment for the Coley Road/Barnes Crossing Road project on MDOT's FTP site. Basically it would add a partial loop around Tupelo, and also make access to the mall area from US 78 and western Tupelo easier. Most of the work is already done except the overpasses of the Trace (under construction - there will not be any access to the Trace) and the US 78 interchange.

On January 14, the Commission awarded a contract for the US 78 at Coley Road / Barnes Crossing interchange:

http://mdot.ms.gov/bidsystem_data/20131126/LETDOCS/20131126BidAwards.pdf

AWARDED SUBJECT TO CONCURRENCE BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
STP-0006-02(027) / 105420301
LEE COUNTY - Construction of Interchange on US 78 at Coley Road / Barnes Crossing Road
CENTURY CONSTRUCTION & REALTY, INC.
PO BOX 1366
TUPELO, MS 38802
$10,515,312.33

[mwb1848]

Has Mississippi or Alabama made clear their intentions for what will happen to old alignments of US 78 once I-22 is officially designated?

In Mississippi, great pains were taken to move US 78 from its old alignment to the new I-22 alignment leaving the old alignment signed as Miss. 178. Same thing for much of the route with Alabama 118. Addresses were changed, signs were installed, and old habits were amended. So I can't see ADOT or MDOT returning 78 to its former locations.

Does that mean I-22 and US 78 will be (redundantly) multiplexed or will US 78 replace its replacement?

[froggie]

Depends on AASHTO, but if they remain true to their policy, there is no going back to the old alignment for US 78...

[Charles2]

Actually, US 78 is fairly redundant from Birmingham to Atlanta as well.  As much as I hate to see US routes that have been supplanted by interstate highways truncated, I doubt anyone would miss US 78 from Memphis to Atlanta.

[NE2]

Depends on AASHTO, but if they remain true to their policy, there is no going back to the old alignment for US 78 unless they pull a NCDOT/OklaDOT.

Fixed for you.

[froggie]

If they remain true to their policy, they wouldn't be pulling an NCDOT/OlkaDOT.

[NE2]

If they remain true to their policy, they wouldn't be pulling an NCDOT/OlkaDOT.

I think we're lost in ambiguous pronouns. AASHTO policy is to not move routes from freeways to parallel surface roads. ALDOT and MDOT probably have no policy, as they've never been in this situation before.

[richllewis]

Maybe or maybe not. The old alignment is going to be Miss 178 while the new hwy 78 and later I-22 will be the road. This is what they do with highways in Mississippi. The exceptions are Hwy 80, Hwy 90, and Hwy 11. Hwy 80 pertains to I-20, Hwy 90 pertains to I-10 and Hwy 11 pertains to I-59. And all the 4-lane roads that were built the old roads are MS 1xx while the main road is US such in such.

[berberry]

ALDOT and MDOT probably have no policy, as they've never been in this situation before.

MDOT has been there at least within city limits.  US 80 through Vicksburg was moved onto what is now I-20 a couple years before it became I-20.  The route remains co-signed to both routes today.