Huntsville/Madison Development News (Montgomery: operation, appointed, restaurants)

[cooldiver]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

After being talked about for nearly 10 years plus or minus 2 or 3 the Mastin Lake overpass on Memorial Parkway will go out for bids in February. Construction may begin by May. Will include mainline and service roads. The city will approve state maintenance agreements tomorrow with ALDOT for signing, lighting and overall maintenance of the new overpass.
Also expected to start this year (they have been saying that each year since 2020) is the misleading named Northern Bypass. These frontage roads (no mainline, no controlled access) will take pressure off of North Parkway and improve residential and commercial development in north Huntsville.

Tommy Battle said that Mastin Lake will be the last of the Parkway overpasses.



https://www.al.com/news/2020/07/hunt...-overpass.html

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by cooldiver

Tommy Battle said that Mastin Lake will be the last of the Parkway overpasses.



https://www.al.com/news/2020/07/hunt...-overpass.html

Overpasses at Winchester and Stallworth Roads are still on the wish list, but 15 years down the road at best. Look on Page 7: https://cpmsapps.dot.state.al.us/Off...76CAMCm54-9Y4Q

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

Overpasses at Winchester and Stallworth Roads are still on the wish list, but 15 years down the road at best. Look on Page 7: https://cpmsapps.dot.state.al.us/Off...76CAMCm54-9Y4Q

There should be a full proper designed interchange at Northern Bypass(Bob Wade) and Memorial Parkway. but no it will be just like every other stop light intersection. Probably will be the scene of many accidents in the future.
We are already seeing a large number of accidents on I-565 since the half ass turn the shoulder into another lane widening project. 3 lanes converging to two, poor signing, lighting and excessive speed have all added to the chaos on this freeway.
Why can't a road in this area be designed for the future needs instead of on the cheap and still be inadequate when completed 3-4 years after the start of construction?

[Chris_NorthHSV]

Unfortunately, the roads are probably not going to keep up with the growth. A sad fact that we'll all have to get adjusted to.

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

There should be a full proper designed interchange at Northern Bypass(Bob Wade) and Memorial Parkway. but no it will be just like every other stop light intersection. Probably will be the scene of many accidents in the future.
We are already seeing a large number of accidents on I-565 since the half ass turn the shoulder into another lane widening project. 3 lanes converging to two, poor signing, lighting and excessive speed have all added to the chaos on this freeway.
Why can't a road in this area be designed for the future needs instead of on the cheap and still be inadequate when completed 3-4 years after the start of construction?

565 near NASA should be 55mph. No reason from the airport to downtown that it’s 70mph. It’s just a few miles and that 70mph is a legacy speed limit that isn’t needed nor warranted due to the volume of cars.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

565 near NASA should be 55mph. No reason from the airport to downtown that it’s 70mph. It’s just a few miles and that 70mph is a legacy speed limit that isn’t needed nor warranted due to the volume of cars.

It’s not the speed it’s the drivers.

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

565 near NASA should be 55mph. No reason from the airport to downtown that it’s 70mph. It’s just a few miles and that 70mph is a legacy speed limit that isn’t needed nor warranted due to the volume of cars.

Originally Posted by AU HSV

It’s not the speed it’s the drivers.

Study after study have shown that statistically drivers are going to drive the speed they feel comfortable on a given section of road regardless of the posted speed limit. The posted speed limit on that section is now 70 but yet cars are flying by at 75 to 80 now. What will happen if the posted speed limit is dropped to 55?......They will be speeding by 20 to 25 mph rather than 5 to 10 with the exception of the smaller percentage of people who drive the speed limit. It will create a hazardous situation of mixed high speed and low speed drivers resulting in massive pile ups in the morning and evening commutes. During the lower traffic count times of day it will create a perfect speed trap for HPD to set up in and ring the cash register though.

If you don't believe me, I can tell you where a couple sections are you can go observe. There are two sections of I65, one North of Birmingham and one South where the speed limit drops to I believe 60 mph. Traffic flies right through those at 75 to 80 all day long and every once in a while state troopers or city police set up radar and right tickets non-stop for a couple hours with little effect. Atlanta has some of those as well with the same result.

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

Study after study have shown that statistically drivers are going to drive the speed they feel comfortable on a given section of road regardless of the posted speed limit. The posted speed limit on that section is now 70 but yet cars are flying by at 75 to 80 now. What will happen if the posted speed limit is dropped to 55?......They will be speeding by 20 to 25 mph rather than 5 to 10 with the exception of the smaller percentage of people who drive the speed limit. It will create a hazardous situation of mixed high speed and low speed drivers resulting in massive pile ups in the morning and evening commutes. During the lower traffic count times of day it will create a perfect speed trap for HPD to set up in and ring the cash register though.

If you don't believe me, I can tell you where a couple sections are you can go observe. There are two sections of I65, one North of Birmingham and one South where the speed limit drops to I believe 60 mph. Traffic flies right through those at 75 to 80 all day long and every once in a while state troopers or city police set up radar and right tickets non-stop for a couple hours with little effect. Atlanta has some of those as well with the same result.

Using that logic, then speed limits at 80 or higher would be better to not mix fast and slow. That section north of Birmingham is much wider with far less mergers than near NASA and Hwy 255 interchange.

In Germany, on autobahn, the “natural” speed seemed 75-85 for most drivers. The point isn’t the speed but the road conditions, widths and markings along 565 don’t support 70mph speed limit and we’re talking just a few miles. If would be different circumstances if it was longer stretch of interstate.

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Using that logic, then speed limits at 80 or higher would be better to not mix fast and slow. That section north of Birmingham is much wider with far less mergers than near NASA and Hwy 255 interchange.

In Germany, on autobahn, the “natural” speed seemed 75-85 for most drivers. The point isn’t the speed but the road conditions, widths and markings along 565 don’t support 70mph speed limit and we’re talking just a few miles. If would be different circumstances if it was longer stretch of interstate.

I understand what you are saying and totally get it. However, the fact remains that changing the posted speed limit accomplishes nothing other than the ones that obey the speed limit drive slower while the rest still drive 75 or 80. It creates an even more dangerous situation when traffic is moving. When there is traffic congestion it solves itself because it isn't possible to drive 80 and it even often slows to 45.

In my opinion, the speed limit on the interstates outside of cities should be 80. Left lane cruising laws should be in place like we now have but be enforced. 18 wheelers and other large trucks should not be allowed to ever drive in the left lane. There should be a minimum speed of 70 except in special conditions such as inclement weather and that should be enforced as well. If they would do these things, educate drivers on them and also how to properly drive on multi-lane highways and interstates and then enforce all of it, you would see a drop in crashes and interstate rolling roadblock congestion. It won't ever happen but we can all dream. lol

[sk8grd]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

Overpasses at Winchester and Stallworth Roads are still on the wish list, but 15 years down the road at best. Look on Page 7: https://cpmsapps.dot.state.al.us/Off...76CAMCm54-9Y4Q

There was a 30 year plan for Huntsville at one point that had overpasses going from Walker Lane in Hazel Green all the way to the river. I know things change but someone at least listed it on a wishlist at one point.