Atlanta-Anniston-Birmingham-Tuscaloosa metropolis(I-20)

[bhamsly]

I have noticed that the Birmingham metro area has been growing in many directions along the interstates, but Interstate 20 to the east, in particular, seems to be experiencing and about to experience more growth along I-20. I would love to see a mix of businesses(office, manufacturing,etc.), retail, and residential along this corridor. Moody and Leeds are growing slowly but surely with Bass Pro Shops along with residences, hotels, and other commercial properties. The Pell City/Lincoln area already has a great start with their Honda(or whatever it is) plant; Talladega Motor Speedway is also right off of the expressway in that area. Anniston(Oxford) is growing rapidly from what I hear, and Atlanta seems to not be slowing at any time. Now, west of Birmingham is going to take a little more effort. Tuscaloosa is growing to the west(towards Birmingham), and Vance is right in the middle of Tuscaloosa and Birmingham with it's Mercedes-Benz plant in place, so I guess those are good starts. Perhaps many good things can happen by 2020, but for this to be a true megapolis, a whole lot more effort is needed in all categories. Perhaps Alabama and Georgia, as well as, Birmingham(when we get our problems straighten out locally) and Atlanta could work together in order to make great things come out of I-20.

[eastcentralalabamateen]

It could happen by 2020. If the Birmingham metro area continues to grow and adds Tuscaloosa and Talladega Counties to the Birmingham-Hoover MSA. The growth can't just happen in only Shelby and Jefferson Counties. you'd probably know that Atlanta will get into more parts of Alabama, especially all parts of East Alabama. I'd say that Atlanta is going to help out the B'ham, Tuscaloosa, and Anniston-Oxford metro areas one way or another.

[kayman]

The prospect of the situation is likely to occur, but how soon is what I'm not sure of. Another thing is that the transportation infastructure aside from automobiles, as we know that the traffic problem along with oil isn't getting any better. It would be nice to ride along the I-20 corridor (not in an automobile) and go from Birmingham to Atlanta and see the whole region become more interconnected.

[zen509]

Research high speed rail and what the state of Alabama has not done to endorse it.

[convulso]

i don't know why a megalopolis corridor would be a good thing. birmingham has a chance, albeit only in the merest sense, to avoid the kind of sprawl atlanta has experienced. policy at the local and state levels will keep that chance little more than a prayer, probably. growth is inevitable and good, but getting excited about a sprawl growth-type scenario is not in my future.

i still think the auburn-to-atlanta corridor is poised to develop more rapidly in this way. the growth along I-85 both west from atlanta and east from auburn is more frenzied, farther along, closer in sheer miles and populated more thickly with bedroom cities along its entire route.

[davidals]

I don't recall the thread (I believe the I-14 thread), but someone posted copies of maps connected with a study - coming from Ga Tech - looking at economic development in the Black Belt, parallelled with what they termed the "emergent Piedmont Atlantic Megalopolis," an area mostly straddling I-85 and 20 from Birmingham to Raleigh. The Atlanta to Tuscaloosa corridor would be the SW end of this, obviously.

There were a few salient points, namely that development along this entire expanse is mostly currently low-density in comparison with other established megalopolises, not a good thing. The majority of the study focused on the Black Belt, and the severe contrast between economic development in these two adjoining regions...

I don't know if the entire regions' becoming a megalopolis is or isn't a good thing - there would be major consequences for sure. At the very least I do think the urban centers from Birmingham to Raleigh (and the more rural counties between) should view themselves as parts of a specific multistate region, with region-specific infrastructure and environmental needs, as a collective way of getting more proactive responses from state (and - when applicable - federal) governments. We will see both the problems and the economic promise of the entire corridor grow ever more interconnected as time passes...

[kayman]

i don't know why a megalopolis corridor would be a good thing. birmingham has a chance, albeit only in the merest sense, to avoid the kind of sprawl atlanta has experienced. policy at the local and state levels will keep that chance little more than a prayer, probably. growth is inevitable and good, but getting excited about a sprawl growth-type scenario is not in my future.

i still think the auburn-to-atlanta corridor is poised to develop more rapidly in this way. the growth along I-85 both west from atlanta and east from auburn is more frenzied, farther along, closer in sheer miles and populated more thickly with bedroom cities along its entire route.