[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

First though on reading this was the final admittance and beginning of interstate from Huntsville to Atlanta.

That route would need to have a number in the 20s, and there's not an even east/west number available since I-22 goes from B'ham to Memphis (it could have easily, and perhaps more accurately, had an odd north/south number) and I-24 goes from Chattanooga to Nashville and onward to Clarksville. It could have been assigned an odd number too. I suppose Atlanta to Huntsville could have an odd number, but from Huntsville to Memphis would need to be even since Memphis is virtually due west of Huntsville.

They're sort of getting out of progressive numbering though. There's an I-69 that's west of I-55 and I-65 (numbers originally increased from west to east, south to north).

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

That route would need to have a number in the 20s, and there's not an even east/west number available since I-22 goes from B'ham to Memphis (it could have easily, and perhaps more accurately, had an odd north/south number) and I-24 goes from Chattanooga to Nashville and onward to Clarksville. It could have been assigned an odd number too. I suppose Atlanta to Huntsville could have an odd number, but from Huntsville to Memphis would need to be even since Memphis is virtually due west of Huntsville.

They're sort of getting out of progressive numbering though. There's an I-69 that's west of I-55 and I-65 (numbers originally increased from west to east, south to north).

I could see the spur designation from Huntsville to I-24, being I-724 which also incorporates US -72 . The transition to I-565 would be where the northern bypass would meet at 72.
The northern bypass could be designated I- 665.

[Surge0001]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

I could see the spur designation from Huntsville to I-24, being I-724 which also incorporates US -72 . The transition to I-565 would be where the northern bypass would meet at 72.
The northern bypass could be designated I- 665.

Let's see, First Birmingham gets a new Interstate, now Montgomery. Wonder which of us will get the next new interstate lol

[OldBankhead]

I wonder if there is funding for I-422 in Biden's infrastructure bill.

[BamaDave]

The missing Memphis to Atlanta interstate is definitely a hole on the map. At least build the Memphis to Huntsville part and the spur from Huntsville to I-24. Huntsville could really use spurs with shortcuts to both I-65 North in Tennessee and I-65 farther south. I know terrain would make a southward spur difficult.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by BamaDave

The missing Memphis to Atlanta interstate is definitely a hole on the map. At least build the Memphis to Huntsville part and the spur from Huntsville to I-24. Huntsville could really use spurs with shortcuts to both I-65 North in Tennessee and I-65 farther south. I know terrain would make a southward spur difficult.

Bringing US-72 to Interstate standards to I-24 at South Pittsburg is fine, but there really needs to be a route over the mountains, intersecting I-75 at Adairsville, or perhaps even further south. Having to go through Chattanooga would be a big mistake. We came back on I-75 a couple of months ago and sat in stop and go traffic for over an hour 2 miles south of 24 that goes through Chattanooga. There's already too much traffic around Chattanooga without adding more.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Surge0001

Personally think it should follow the highway 84 corridor and start heading north just east of Thomasville-Jackson Area towards Montgomery. That area has been the most neglected in the state of Alabama and interstate access would likely completely change the area. Not to mention I-14 would run directly parallel to Highway 80, which is already 4 laned the entire way to Montgomery

I'm not sure that's the case, Surge. Look at 20/59 (or 59/20 if you prefer) between the Mississippi/Alabama state line and Tuscaloosa. The highway has been completed through there about 50 years, and there's been no development whatsoever. Or further down, 59 between Meridian and I-10 in Louisiana - not muh improvement along that route, except a little in Hattiesburg, but they also have a 4-year university. So merely having Interstate access doesn't assure that community improvements will result. I don't think an Interstate will have much of a positive impact on Selma or the rest of the Black Belt.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

I hope this gets built - Georgia has been needing an Augusta-Macon-Columbus corridor for years now. I'm sure the other states can say the same of their cities and towns.

I retrospect, it might've been better to run I-16 further north with a spur into Augusta. There's not much along the current 16 route anyway.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by BamaDave

The missing Memphis to Atlanta interstate is definitely a hole on the map. At least build the Memphis to Huntsville part and the spur from Huntsville to I-24. Huntsville could really use spurs with shortcuts to both I-65 North in Tennessee and I-65 farther south. I know terrain would make a southward spur difficult.

I think Huntsville to Atlanta (not through Chattanooga, but through the hills) is more important than Huntsville to Memphis. Hwy 72 is already pretty good, and in Mississippi it's pretty much a freeway (whether its to Interstate standards, I don't know) all the way to Memphis. The main chokepoints on 72 Alt are Decatur and the speed trap of Town Creek. Otherwise, it's a pretty straight shot. On the other hand, getting to Atlanta is a total PitA.

[steveklein]

Total waste of money imo, at least in Alabama. I don’t know enough about the corridor in other states to say if that’s the case there as well, but I suspect at least in GA/AL, it’s unnecessary.

As previously stated, there are large chunks of interstate 59 which has been connected for decades and has spurred very little development. Interstate 65 between Montgomery and Mobile is similar. The primary reason the black belt is so economically challenged has nothing to do with interstate access and everything to do with the education levels of the people living there.