205 replies to this topic

[codyg1985]

Those that have to use I-65 north are still going to have to pass through the city.  But the good news is that that interstate is not elevated nor does it have as many sharp turns on it that would cause trucks to lose control.  

There has been inspections during the past few days to enforce load restriction laws.  Supposedly that has been a success, but we all know that those inspections will probably go away too soon.

I think that steel coil trucks should be considered hazardous cargo (HC), and as such I-20/59 between either end of I-459 should be designated a non-HC route.  This way prominent HC signs can be posted for I-459 for traffic traveling on I-20/59.  ALDOT plans on using the message boards (gasp!) to alert truckers to use I-459 to bypass the city.

Still, the signs will mean jack crap unless the rules are enforced.

[sabre0link]

IIRC, there are signs on 20W/59S that state ALL trucks MUST use I459 unless going to I65N.

Those signs have been up at least since the beginning of the year... and I'm not too certain before that.

[codyg1985]

sabre0link, on Jun 22 2006, 05:00 AM, said:

IIRC, there are signs on 20W/59S that state ALL trucks MUST use I459 unless going to I65N.

Those signs have been up at least since the beginning of the year... and I'm not too certain before that.

Yeah, those signs have been there for (I'm willing to say) about five years.  However, those are the only signs you will see mentioning that as you approach Birmingham from the southwest.  Also, I don't believe there are any signs on I-20 westbound east of Birmingham.

Personally, I think that trucks should use I-459 regardless of whether or not they are going to I-65 north.  The route itself isn't that much of a deviation from the parent route, and it is much safer for trucks than the parent route.  As I mentioned above, I-459 should be designated a Hazardous Cargo route and I-20 and I-59 between Bessemer and Trussville and Leeds, respectively, should be designated a non-HC route.  

The inforcement continues, as I saw trucks pulled over on the 41st Avenue exit off of I-65 on Tuesday for inspection.

[kayman]

It's happened once again:  

Overturned truck loses steel rolls

I am getting so sick and tired out our state government's incompetence.  There needs to be a mass firing of imcompetent morons in Montogomery.

[codyg1985]

Leonard23, on Jun 27 2006, 10:34 AM, said:

It's happened once again:  

Overturned truck loses steel rolls

I am getting so sick and tired out our state government's incompetence.  There needs to be a mass firing of imcompetent morons in Montogomery.

At least this time it wasn't on a bridge where the coils could puncture through the entire roaddeck.  Still, it shows that something more drastic needs to be done.  Just imagine if this were to happen on either side of Birmingham on both I-20/59 and I-65 in four separate incidents on the same day.

[kayman]

Quote

Orange barrels and traffic delays will frustrate motorists traveling the Double Oak Mountain section of U.S. 280 for the rest of the year, with installation of much-anticipated traffic signals tentatively set to begin July 10.

More delays ahead for U.S. 280 traffic

OK, when is ALDOT going to realize that traffic signals and US 280 don't mix?  That roadway is a freeway, plain and simple and doesn't need anymore traffic signals.  It needs single-point urban interchanges from Red Mtn. Expressway to Chelsea and just plain limited-access interchanges all the way to Sylacauga.   They has got to be another temporary solution other than another traffic light on this roadway.

Edited by Leonard23, 29 June 2006 - 08:59 AM.

[kayman]

Officials to meet, discuss steel coil transport

Finally, the officials are having a formal meeting on how to deal with this growingly frequent problem.

[sabre0link]

Leonard23, on Jun 29 2006, 09:59 AM, said:

More delays ahead for U.S. 280 traffic

OK, when is ALDOT going to realize that traffic signals and US 280 don't mix?  That roadway is a freeway, plain and simple and doesn't need anymore traffic signals.  It needs single-point urban interchanges from Red Mtn. Expressway to Chelsea and just plain limited-access interchanges all the way to Sylacauga.   They has got to be another temporary solution other than another traffic light on this roadway.

I have a feeling it's due to the subdivisions popping up with no real good way for people to get onto 280...  Once you are south/east of 119, there are NO signal lights til you actually enter Chelsea... however, there ARE subdivisions and undeveloped land that is likely to become developed.  And these aren't tiny subdivisions, either... Mt. Laurel is out that way, and Chelsea is getting more and more populated due to people moving into these new subdivisions...

ALDOT finished installing the signal and road for the Green Valley Road/Rocky Ridge Road intersection realignment last weekend, and it has helped out a lot.  I just wish they'd finish repaving.... ALDOT's only working on 280 after-hours (like, starting at 10pm or later, and finishing before people start North for work), so it's slow going, but they are being smart... that road is HEAVILY travelled all times of the day, they just picked when it's slower and less traffic to work on it.  

[kayman]

Town gets final funds for bypass

The ALDOT has finally fully funded enough for the construction of a 2 1/2 to 3 mile traffic bypass that connects Alabama Hwy. 261 to County Rd. 52.

[rolltider]

Leonard23, on Jul 5 2006, 01:28 PM, said:

Town gets final funds for bypass

The ALDOT has finally fully funded enough for the construction of a 2 1/2 to 3 mile traffic bypass that connects Alabama Hwy. 261 to County Rd. 52.

That is good news but do you know if there are plans to widen 261 from Helena to Hiway 31 and Valleydale from Hiway 31 to I-65?

[kayman]

rolltider, on Jul 5 2006, 04:44 PM, said:

That is good news but do you know if there are plans to widen 261 from Helena to Hiway 31 and Valleydale from Hiway 31 to I-65?

I heard that ALDOT was going to widen 261, but I don't know when that will occur.

[kayman]

Grants Mill Road extension planned with a 4-lane bridge over Lake Purdy

Article about the extension from The Birmingham News

The plans follow a possible development that is being proposed by Exquisite Development.  They want the road straightened and widen all the way to Dunnavant Valley Road.  However, the Cahaba River Society is totally against saying that it could affect the area's main drinking water source Lake Purdy and the ALDOT said they aren't going to fund it neither.  In other words, it is going to be funded Jefferson County and the developer.

[kayman]

Article from The Birmingham News

Thank the Lord!  Finally, somebody with good sense has listened and realized that there needs to be a limiting of traffic signals, curb cuts, median cuts, and access in general on that blain highway.  Maybe now since this plan has been layed out finally there can be some action with the creation those urban interchanges planned on the western end of US 280 in Jefferson and Northern Shelby counties.  I hope one day either there is total limited access with access roads and urban interchanges of US 280 from the Red Mountain Expressway to the Shelby/Talladega line or the upgrading of US 280 to 8-lane limited access freeway w/ HOV lanes.

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Leonard23, on Jul 25 2006, 09:48 AM, said:

Article from The Birmingham News

Thank the Lord!  Finally, somebody with good sense has listened and realized that there needs to be a limiting of traffic signals, curb cuts, median cuts, and access in general on that blain highway.  Maybe now since this plan has been layed out finally there can be some action with the creation those urban interchanges planned on the western end of US 280 in Jefferson and Northern Shelby counties.  I hope one day either there is total limited access with access roads and urban interchanges of US 280 from the Red Mountain Expressway to the Shelby/Talladega line or the upgrading of US 280 to 8-lane limited access freeway w/ HOV lanes.

As cool as that forethinking is, unless the city and county can actually work together, I wouldn't hold my breath.

[kayman]

AlabamaGuy2007, on Jul 25 2006, 12:59 PM, said:

As cool as that forethinking is, unless the city and county can actually work together, I wouldn't hold my breath.

I think the plan for that just been created by Chelsea, Westover, and Vincent will be implemented because they were the ones that envisioned it initially.  However, you are so right about the more developed end of US280.  Unless Birmingham, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Hoover all sit down at a table and come to an agreement on the implementing the fixing of US280 to the ALDOT then nothing will ever occur.

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Leonard23, on Jul 25 2006, 01:20 PM, said:

I think the plan for that just been created by Chelsea, Westover, and Vincent will be implemented because they were the ones that envisioned it initially.  However, you are so right about the more developed end of US280.  Unless Birmingham, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Hoover all sit down at a table and come to an agreement on the implementing the fixing of US280 to the ALDOT then nothing will ever occur.

What gets me is that Birmingham is just so proud of how they practically re-invented themselves from their past.  They're so proud of themselves that they don't want to sit with other majoy cities and help themselves.  I'm sure that Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Hoover would help Birmingham completely, cause what happens to one of those cities, affects the whole region.  
Birmingham has come a long way since the Morris family founded that post at that railroad intersection, I'd hate for Birmingham to destroy what they improved.

[kayman]

AlabamaGuy2007, on Jul 25 2006, 01:24 PM, said:

What gets me is that Birmingham is just so proud of how they practically re-invented themselves from their past.  They're so proud of themselves that they don't want to sit with other majoy cities and help themselves.  I'm sure that Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Hoover would help Birmingham completely, cause what happens to one of those cities, affects the whole region.  
Birmingham has come a long way since the Morris family founded that post at that railroad intersection, I'd hate for Birmingham to destroy what they improved.

Well actually those suburban muncipalities are the ones that caused the problems of US280.  Back in the 1980's when the highway was first widen, the cities of Vestavia Hills, Mtn. Brook, and then independent (incorporated) Cahaba Heights used the NIMBY groups to keep the highway from being upgraded to limited access all the way to the Shelby County line.  Instead it was just widened and lined with numerous traffic lights.  When development and traffic came those communities sit there looking like Boo the Fool for their own ignorance.  Birmingham and Hoover didn't have any land that way besides Lake Purdy (Birmingham) incorporated into their cities, and Homewood already had the Red Mountain (Elton B. Stephens) Expressway (US 31/280) going through their city so they didn't care.  ALDOT didn't help when they again widened the road to 8 lanes and didn't do any type of upgrading (besides the "Move your car to the side of the roadway if stalled or in crash" signs and the signage bridges that is typical of most limited access highways in the state), so the problem has just grown and presisted to the huge problem it is today.

[codyg1985]

Leonard23, on Jul 25 2006, 01:45 PM, said:

Well actually those suburban muncipalities are the ones that caused the problems of US280.  Back in the 1980's when the highway was first widen, the cities of Vestavia Hills, Mtn. Brook, and then independent (incorporated) Cahaba Heights used the NIMBY groups to keep the highway from being upgraded to limited access all the way to the Shelby County line.  Instead it was just widened and lined with numerous traffic lights.  When development and traffic came those communities sit there looking like Boo the Fool for their own ignorance.  Birmingham and Hoover didn't have any land that way besides Lake Purdy (Birmingham) incorporated into their cities, and Homewood already had the Red Mountain (Elton B. Stephens) Expressway (US 31/280) going through their city so they didn't care.  ALDOT didn't help when they again widened the road to 8 lanes and didn't do any type of upgrading (besides the "Move your car to the side of the roadway if stalled or in crash" signs and the signage bridges that is typical of most limited access highways in the state), so the problem has just grown and presisted to the huge problem it is today.

Didn't Hoover object to any type of access management along US 280 for fears of it reducing the tax base?

I have seen that US 280 access management plan before it was unveiled; it assumed that US 280 west of Hugh Daniel Drive would be converted to a freeway with frontage roads.  I believe this plan calls for the businesses that develop along the roadway to pay for the installation of frontage roads.

[kayman]

codyg1985, on Jul 25 2006, 02:38 PM, said:

Didn't Hoover object to any type of access management along US 280 for fears of it reducing the tax base?

That is true, but what I was talking about happened back in the 1980's.  Hoover didn't annex the land it currently has along US280 until the early to mid-1990's.

codyg1985, on Jul 25 2006, 02:38 PM, said:

I have seen that US 280 access management plan before it was unveiled; it assumed that US 280 west of Hugh Daniel Drive would be converted to a freeway with frontage roads.  I believe this plan calls for the businesses that develop along the roadway to pay for the installation of frontage roads.

That is true.  There have been plans for west of Hugh Daniel Drive for US 280 to be limited access with urban interchanges and frontage/access roads.  However, those plans have been on board since 1998.  

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Leonard23, on Jul 25 2006, 01:45 PM, said:

Well actually those suburban muncipalities are the ones that caused the problems of US280.  Back in the 1980's when the highway was first widen, the cities of Vestavia Hills, Mtn. Brook, and then independent (incorporated) Cahaba Heights used the NIMBY groups to keep the highway from being upgraded to limited access all the way to the Shelby County line.  Instead it was just widened and lined with numerous traffic lights.  When development and traffic came those communities sit there looking like Boo the Fool for their own ignorance.  Birmingham and Hoover didn't have any land that way besides Lake Purdy (Birmingham) incorporated into their cities, and Homewood already had the Red Mountain (Elton B. Stephens) Expressway (US 31/280) going through their city so they didn't care.  ALDOT didn't help when they again widened the road to 8 lanes and didn't do any type of upgrading (besides the "Move your car to the side of the roadway if stalled or in crash" signs and the signage bridges that is typical of most limited access highways in the state), so the problem has just grown and presisted to the huge problem it is today.

Well, I'm just saying what I view.  We all know how the press distorts what actually happens.