What Can You Do to Improve Huntsville? (Hoover, Decatur: condos, neighborhoods)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by HSVbulldawg

I would like to see the cities of Huntsville and Madison plan a network of bike paths that are separate from the roads, and then make plans for implementing the construction of those paths (in phases if need be.) I would like to see separate bike paths from housing areas to research park, UAH, downtown Huntsville, and various greenways and parks, and also to bridgestreet and the new constellation project.

Some people I now already bike to work/school on a regular basis. Other would if there were safe routes to and from work. Also, I think there are a lot of active people in our community who would at least make use of those paths on the weekend. Our community would be healthier, and the risk of biking deaths would be reduced.

The Huntsville area seems to be a very dangerous place to cycle. Most of the roads have no shoulder at all. When I go cycling at lunch I either take my bike in my truck to the far south side of the Redstone Arsenal or drive out to County Line and loop around Swancott and the Highway 20 frontage road alont 565; pretty safe.

We'd all love bike paths but in the scheme of financial priorities, where would they lie? Is there right of way? Eminent domain? Are there enough months in the year when people would use them to commute to work (summers are hot and humid - a person would have to shower at the office; winters can be wet and windy - that would dissuade a lot of people). How much would they cost the taxpayers? I would be willing to spend $100 per year for example; if every family spent $100 per year could we do it?

Bottom line, Are people in the ("Vote No on Yes") Huntsville area willing to spend money to make something like this

(images not protected by copyright)




look something like this?

[HSVbulldawg]

Originally Posted by Charles

The Huntsville area seems to be a very dangerous place to cycle. Most of the roads have no shoulder at all. When I go cycling at lunch I either take my bike in my truck to the far south side of the Redstone Arsenal or drive out to County Line and loop around Swancott and the Highway 20 frontage road alont 565; pretty safe.

We'd all love bike paths but in the scheme of financial priorities, where would they lie? Is there right of way? Eminent domain? Are there enough months in the year when people would use them to commute to work (summers are hot and humid - a person would have to shower at the office; winters can be wet and windy - that would dissuade a lot of people). How much would they cost the taxpayers? I would be willing to spend $100 per year for example; if every family spent $100 per year could we do it?

Bottom line, Are people in the ("Vote No on Yes") Huntsville area willing to spend money to make something like this

(images not protected by copyright)




look something like this?

I have seen people bike all year round in Huntsville (yes to work even in the humid weather and even in the coldest parts of the year.) I don't think the bike paths are a priority of most people around here. However, people have died biking around here, and I personally don't want to run over any bikers. To me, it's worth it, especially since it can save lives. It's worth much more (to me) than another greenway, more sidewalks, banners on the parkway, or other things the city is currently spending money on, mainly because it can keep people safe (and alive) and give them a way to stay active and healthy. I personally would not use it at all probably (or maybe just a few times a year) unless I changed interests. But I also think that we have a sufficient amount of cyclists around here that it wouldn't go to wast.

[33458]

Originally Posted by Charles

I google map street viewed this description. It looks like there is a left turn hanging light box there and one red light is illuminated, but who knows when this photo was taken. The double left lanes are clearly visible.


35805 - Google Maps



Also, at 430PM the westbound drivers could be looking straight into the sun.

That's a definite.


Yes, I have seen the left turning lane 'green', but still yielding as oncoming traffic also (apparently) had a green, too, because they are not stopping. I thought we had an arrow at one point? Have not seen it cycle in two weeks - that's what I mean by "nothing", not turning red...which makes me wonder if the trigger is not functional, not being tripped...
Anyway - my concern is not knowing the status of the other lanes...as they come up toward the intersection, it's not easy to gauge whether they are slowing, stopping or coming through. Ain't just me - I see the cars in front of me and to the side uncertain as to whether or not to turn. It would be funny if it wasn't risky. Just stupid...doesn't need to be like that - not during peak hours. At least put a directional sign up to yield or that we have the right-of-way when green (or not) because there is no turning arrow...yeah?

I'm just puzzled because I've never seen two LEFT turning lanes directed by ONE single solid light - do you know what I mean? Well, let me clarify...unless there was a matter of hurricane damage to contend with - then we were lucky to have lights for two years after at all...love those 4-way stops at major intersections! (First to stop goes, else yield to the right...yes, you, hurriedly-hasty BOOM BOY!)
FL always had two arrows or solid green for LEFT and the warning of turns to yield if not lit, etc...(and even two lane right turns were dictated - the very right could legally turn on red after yielding to traffic but the left lane turning right COULD NOT...) So I'm still trying to figure out how AL does it here...is it an AL thing or is the light broken? (GA has arrows and X's that change during the day...)

[A&M Bulldawg]

If I could improve Huntsville, I would develop areas in Limestone County within the city limits. I would build a few shopping centers with a grocery store anchor. I would probably build a nice size shopping center/mall. I would build elementary, middle, and high schools. I would build a hospital or medical park. Huntsville (Limestone County) would have several restuarants, hotels, sports complexes/parks with biking trails and predestrian trails, and of course, some form of entertainment! Also, I would hurry up and widened the majority roads twice its capacity and would bring the Audi plant to that area!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by KE111691

I would develop
I would build
I would probably build
I would build
I would build
would have several
I would hurry up and widened
would bring

With what money?
For whom?

We have to be realistic. Otherwise we can post things like "I would have everybody at 10% body fat", "I would eliminate cancer", "I would have no drunk drivers", etc.

Realize for the most part in my previous post on what I'd like to do to improve Huntsville, I was somewhat sensitive to the fiscal realities. We can't just build and develop like Huntsville is some sort of fantasy world. No city can, especially these days.

Now, if the county's economy gets back on track and the BRAC thing happens close to the magnitude some people are predicting, then the demand for many those developments, roads, and amenities may well occur.

[A&M Bulldawg]

Sorry for my daydreaming! Huntsville's growth is so exciting to me! I'm sorry that I didn't express I would actually finance those projects..................If the economy was in a great shape and BRAC was HOT, then I would commit to building these projects to accomodate the new growth!

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by KE111691

If I could improve Huntsville, I would develop areas in Limestone County within the city limits. I would build a few shopping centers with a grocery store anchor. I would probably build a nice size shopping center/mall. I would build elementary, middle, and high schools. I would build a hospital or medical park. Huntsville (Limestone County) would have several restuarants, hotels, sports complexes/parks with biking trails and predestrian trails, and of course, some form of entertainment! Also, I would hurry up and widened the majority roads twice its capacity and would bring the Audi plant to that area!

Yes one can wish for all that. But one can only do so much

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by HSVbulldawg

I have seen people bike all year round in Huntsville (yes to work even in the humid weather and even in the coldest parts of the year.) I don't think the bike paths are a priority of most people around here. However, people have died biking around here, and I personally don't want to run over any bikers. To me, it's worth it, especially since it can save lives. It's worth much more (to me) than another greenway, more sidewalks, banners on the parkway, or other things the city is currently spending money on, mainly because it can keep people safe (and alive) and give them a way to stay active and healthy. I personally would not use it at all probably (or maybe just a few times a year) unless I changed interests. But I also think that we have a sufficient amount of cyclists around here that it wouldn't go to wast.

I think HSVbulldawg has an important point, people will use the bikeway/ greenway if a city builds into its roads. Simplicitly speaking, if you build it, they will come. I've actually seen this in other parts of country. People want to buy into a life style and this area can do a lot more to encourage people to live with a more active/healthier life style.

It may need to start with a subdivision/ small city on a concept called "master-planned community", with built-in greenbelts & bikeways. I think some of the subdivisions here in Huntsville/Madison gets the concept and have implemented some. An ideal place to start maybe subdivisions nearby the research park area.

I do admit it would be difficult to implement on a large city-wide scale, considering most roads here don't have shoulders and some bridges don't even have rails.

[Bamachic80]

Originally Posted by Charles

There's a thread sort of like this already.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/hunts...untsville.html

(This is a good way to kill your lunch break.)

I won't bother listing expensive things (burying power lines, widening heavily used two lane roads, etc)....maybe later...but the economy is too depressed. With that, I wouldn't mind paying more in taxes and fees (or even a Mello Roos) if it meant more amenities (parks, school facilities, highway landscaping, etc).

Here are a few which probably wouldn't cost too much money:

More road signs indicating what street is up coming as you are driving. It is hard to know when to make a turn if the only sign is that street's sign.

A couple outdoor basketball hoops in local parks.

More ethnic restaurants (realize this is demand driven so if the demand isn't there then it isn't there)

More secular preschools (again, demand driven)

Modernization and more autonomy (more localized) of the Huntsville Times. Only certain type stories (Breaking News, Ask Us) can be commented. The letters to the editor need font adjustments - hard to discern between letters. Seems like it is a satellite of the Birmingham news. The online version doesn't seem complete compared to the hardcopy. The online version seems to have update/persistence problems. Too many dead URLs. The forums are not user friendly.

More landscaping in common/public areas. More evergreen trees and shrubs along roadways, medians, boundaries, etc. Make the roads cheerful looking and eye pleasing.

Provide an 800 number or web interface to report smoking (polluting) vehicles, abandoned or junk vehicles.

More roundabouts in residential neighborhoods (in future planning). This forces people to slow down.

Enforce leash laws and pet waste laws. Enact a three strikes law with a third strike of pet euthanasia and three days community service (cleaning up dog poo for example).

Drop the Bermuda lawn standard in subdivisions. Go fescue. That's what HOAs are doing in common areas and it looks better all year round.

Increase the use of inmate jail labor. Right now I see men and women inmates picking up trash. How far can we take this? (Special note: If they can eat 50 eggs in an hour then they get released. How about a Lucille Car Wash?)

Less renaming of streets. Try to keep the street names consistent.

No air blown hand dryers in restrooms. I want to use a paper towel to touch the icky bathroom faucets and door handles.

Make laws which strictly limit billboards and other commercial signs. I know it goes against commercial interests. I know the owners have a right to make a buck. But they are ugly and they seem to be placed on streets that we all travel on every day: 72/University and Memorial Parkway for example. These are the backbones of Madison and Huntsville; they should be the most pleasant looking. In contrast 565 near the Space Center is eye pleasing, landscaped, and well illuminated. Maybe this is because it is newer or something or because a lot of visitors use it and we want to make a good impression.

Do what it takes to get the Desegregation Order lifted (probably not cheap to do though).

If not done so already, pass the costs of law enforcement services for special events (traffic control at the churches on Old Highway 431 and Whitesburg on Sundays around 11AM for examples) on to the host organizations.

Need more masterplanning. Stricter zoning in the future. Consistent architecture in retail blocks and mini malls (Valley Bend at Jones Farm is an example of how it should be done). Make it a goal to make consistent the types of land use in zoned areas. Probably not much can be done for existing but for future for example, keep junk yards or auto repair or gravel and building material shops off the main roads or away from preschools and retail/restaurants. Always zone in open space/greenbelts/greenways; maybe a 15% minimum should be zoned open space.

Repeal any blue laws if they exist.

Add capability to perform online requests and routing for Huntsville Library materials. This is the only library I have ever patronized (I have at least seven different library cards) that doesn't have this capability.

If not done so already, tax all religious organizations and property owned by religious institutions the same way as businesses.

Add online traffic cameras (at least two exist, maybe more?) and online highway speed maps. Include on the maps traffic incidents (like traffic accidents) so a web savvy person can be aware of traffic problems and plan accordingly. These can be integrated real time from law enforcement databases.

NAMLS should provide square footage and addresses in its database. Also, recent real estate sales data should be available.

Some things that don't need too much changing:

Huntsville Airport (all airports should have free wireless like HSV has),
Huntsville Library (except the routing thing mentioned above),
Huntsville National Weather Service office (for weather nerds like me: it is nice that it is local and they are very good about updating the forecast discussion),
Huntsville Hospital (it gives the impression that it is truly world class),
City of Huntsville web pages (they are pretty good though some of the things mentioned above like traffic speeds would be good additions),
Huntsville City School Buses: Strobes, shiny, and modern, and clean

Charles, is there a site you can go to besides the Noaa.gov and then to Huntsville that will give you more of a rundown of different discussions on forecasts, weather, etc??!! I'm a weather nerd..only because I'm petrified of if!!!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Bamachic80

Charles, is there a site you can go to besides the Noaa.gov and then to Huntsville that will give you more of a rundown of different discussions on forecasts, weather, etc??!! I'm a weather nerd..only because I'm petrified of if!!!

The forecast discussion I refer to is a link off this:

7-Day Forecast for Latitude 34.6°N and Longitude 86.46°W (Elev. 581 ft)

Click on "Forecast Discussion"; It is the "horse's mouth", straight from the meteorologists.

There's a lot of technical lingo that I don't always understand but there is an active glassary.


Note in a recent discussion they write about spin up tornados for this week.

http://forecast.weather.gov/product....n=3&glossary=1