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Old 09-23-2021, 08:15 AM
 
Location: 35203
2,083 posts, read 2,125,871 times
Reputation: 771

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Quote:
Originally Posted by MinivanDriver View Post
Now, we have a nice little pork barrel project that, if managed properly, could open up the entire northern half of the metro to development and industry. Not the worst thing in the world if you ask me.
And to me all along, it was about the opportunity for that area. We all know that the more you wait on things, the more it's going to cost. Unfortunately. If this was 20-25 years ago, the price wouldn't be what it is today. 422 has a good chance to be what 459 is. This is what it boils down to, economic opportunities/developments.
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Old 09-23-2021, 08:15 AM
 
1,378 posts, read 1,196,062 times
Reputation: 615
Quote:
Originally Posted by MinivanDriver View Post
I know, right? You'd think Birmingham was Fiint, Michigan, or some such to hear these people talk. It's also not anywhere close to reality, given the enormous strides the city and region have taken since the mortgage meltdown in 2008. Or in the period between 1979 and 2008.

And that's a pretty significant point to make. Because Birmingham's growth is pretty much driven by private enterprise, not massive government spending. So, yeah, we took enormous hits when USS Steel shut down in the 70s and the banking collapse happened in the 00s.

We've been more of a boom-and-bust town, chiefly because we've always been too reliant in the past on a handful of industries. So since 2008, we've reinvented ourselves once again, and undertaken to transform the city center. And it's paying off big time.

Now, we have a nice little pork barrel project that, if managed properly, could open up the entire northern half of the metro to development and industry. Not the worst thing in the world if you ask me.

Would be wise for Birmingham to start annexing some of that land up north, looks like Birmingham has a good stretch if they can annex the land between Gardendale-Fulton and Pinson, area seems to be a growing there as well


Also whats up with some of the infills around Birmingham that they and other cities haven't gobbled up (like Robinwood and Hayes Highlands)? Are they historical districts or something?
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Old 09-23-2021, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Birmingham, U.S.A.
1,010 posts, read 616,329 times
Reputation: 964
Quote:
Originally Posted by AU HSV View Post
Clueless you are
Yeah, you're right I don't keep a picture of Kamala by my bed to kiss every night before I go to sleep. That would be sad and silly.

...it's AOC.

I can't wait to drive back and forth on that 1.34 mile stretch of 422 between 75 and 79 in my ICE powered car. I know for every inch of road they build, it directly affects a Huntsville project in a 1:1 relationship. One inch of asphalt = one rocket widget = one FBI admin's desk = one space force phaser. Go Vulcans!
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Old 09-23-2021, 11:15 AM
 
3,253 posts, read 3,737,162 times
Reputation: 4475
Quote:
Originally Posted by OldBankhead View Post
Touched a nerve, huh.

Oh yeah, we really need more missiles and rockets and stuff to help billionaires join the ultra mile high club and kill more people better on the other side of the globe. USA! USA! USA!

Now to go kiss my Kamala pic.
Get a grip bro. You are embarrassing yourself, Tourian.

Imagine if someone said "we don't need to invest in Birmingham because we don't need a bunch of racists being able to commute to their KKK meetings in record time".


And for what it's worth, criticizing the new era of space flight makes you sound like some moron from 100+_ years ago that criticized the Wright brothers for making an airplane when they could have "better spent" their money by building bicycles for poor people.

Last edited by steveklein; 09-23-2021 at 11:33 AM..
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Old 09-23-2021, 11:22 AM
 
3,253 posts, read 3,737,162 times
Reputation: 4475
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcalumni01 View Post
Haha. You in a Birmingham forum talking about a weird syndrome. Nobody mentioned anything about growth. That "high" pedestal you are on is showing. I posted that link because I knew it would get the attention from those in the northern part of the state and it worked. So all of a sudden you need 6 lanes to go from your house to the beach. Please. I mean it's between 6 and 10 lanes in Jefferson and Shelby County (lol). 6 lanes in Montgomery and Mobile Counties. But regardless, ALDOT isn't nearly done in Birmingham as you may want or think. So that's that. Keep it moving. Deuces
Growth is what produces demand for infrastructure projects...

The explosion of Baldwin County and the eastern shore? Mobile Bay infrastructure.
Alabama football and Mercedes? The widening of 20/59.
The condos from Gulf Shores to Panama City? A need for a wider 65.
The growth in Shelby County? A need for a wider 65 and/or 280.

422 is a waste relative to other more necessary projects. Even if the terrain were flat and easy to build on, it STILL wouldn't be justified.

Some people here are clearly upset that Birmingham and western/northern Jefferson County aren't growing while other areas are booming. And that is going to cause people to have a different opinion of where the best use of funds should be spent. Get over it.
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Old 09-23-2021, 11:36 AM
 
Location: 35203
2,083 posts, read 2,125,871 times
Reputation: 771
Quote:
Originally Posted by steveklein View Post
Growth is what produces demand for infrastructure projects...

The explosion of Baldwin County and the eastern shore? Mobile Bay infrastructure.
Alabama football and Mercedes? The widening of 20/59.
The condos from Gulf Shores to Panama City? A need for a wider 65.
The growth in Shelby County? A need for a wider 65 and/or 280.

422 is a waste relative to other more necessary projects. Even if the terrain were flat and easy to build on, it STILL wouldn't be justified.

Some people here are clearly upset that Birmingham and western/northern Jefferson County aren't growing while other areas are booming. And that is going to cause people to have a different opinion of where the best use of funds should be spent. Get over it.
Man, please. Here you go like always. They mention people being mad at their growing huntsville. This is talking about a road. They brought that to the conversation. Nobody cares about any of that but them. It's apparent they should voice their "emotions" to Alabama and not Birmingham. Stop getting mad at Birmingham for what comes to this area. Birmingham isn't getting mad at Mobile with the new bridge that's coming or Montgomery with the new flyovers or Tuscaloosa with the remodel 20/59 bridge or any other road/bridge project in this state.

Last edited by mcalumni01; 09-23-2021 at 12:10 PM..
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Old 09-23-2021, 11:39 AM
 
Location: North of Birmingham, AL
839 posts, read 812,426 times
Reputation: 1112
I live just above the uppermost tip of Jefferson County and don't think I would personally use the beltline very often. Certainly if I needed to head SW out of the area toward Tuscaloosa. Heading over to Atlanta would likely cut off a little time, although there is no indication of connection to I-20 farther east than I-459. So if I went that way, I would have to travel back down I-59 SW in the wrong direction and pick up 459 to I-20. Would likely save a little time by avoiding downtown Birmingham.

If this would open the northern side of Birmingham to more development, that could eventually alleviate some pressure on the south and southeast sides of the metro area.

It seems like many/most of our peer cities have full ring interstates around them, if not both an inner and outer belt. Look at Memphis and Louisville, for example.

BTW - I fully support road projects in Huntsville. Huntsville only having a single spur connection to a major interstate is outrageous.
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Old 09-23-2021, 11:53 AM
 
Location: Jack-town, Sip by way of TN, AL and FL
1,703 posts, read 1,952,412 times
Reputation: 3017
Quote:
Originally Posted by steveklein View Post
Growth is what produces demand for infrastructure projects...

The explosion of Baldwin County and the eastern shore? Mobile Bay infrastructure.
Alabama football and Mercedes? The widening of 20/59.
The condos from Gulf Shores to Panama City? A need for a wider 65.
The growth in Shelby County? A need for a wider 65 and/or 280.

422 is a waste relative to other more necessary projects. Even if the terrain were flat and easy to build on, it STILL wouldn't be justified.

Some people here are clearly upset that Birmingham and western/northern Jefferson County aren't growing while other areas are booming. And that is going to cause people to have a different opinion of where the best use of funds should be spent. Get over it.
Sort of.

Good planning can mitigate 'playing from behind' which is what ALDOT has done for years. I mean they JUST replaced those bridges downtown. Too often we let 'growth' totally dictate development, and that can lead to some wastefulness as well. However, once you get to this point, it's hard to get out of it.
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Old 09-26-2021, 02:27 PM
 
Location: Madison, Alabama
12,696 posts, read 9,206,510 times
Reputation: 8776
Quote:
Originally Posted by steveklein View Post
Growth is what produces demand for infrastructure projects...

The explosion of Baldwin County and the eastern shore? Mobile Bay infrastructure.
Alabama football and Mercedes? The widening of 20/59.
The condos from Gulf Shores to Panama City? A need for a wider 65.
The growth in Shelby County? A need for a wider 65 and/or 280.

422 is a waste relative to other more necessary projects. Even if the terrain were flat and easy to build on, it STILL wouldn't be justified.

Some people here are clearly upset that Birmingham and western/northern Jefferson County aren't growing while other areas are booming. And that is going to cause people to have a different opinion of where the best use of funds should be spent. Get over it.
The Mercedes plant and associated suppliers, and traffic level in general, may justify widening 20/59, but not Alabama (or Auburn) football. They only have 7, sometimes 6, home games a year. No way spending hundreds of millions on highway improvements can be justified for football.

65 should be widened end to end. It carries about as much traffic as 75 did not too many years ago - a lot. South of Birmingham is usually a mess, much more so than in the city, but I believe that's being worked. It just can't happen overnight.

422 should be well down the priority list. There's just no need for it now and probably not for many years.
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Old 09-27-2021, 09:20 AM
 
Location: Jack-town, Sip by way of TN, AL and FL
1,703 posts, read 1,952,412 times
Reputation: 3017
Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketDawg View Post
The Mercedes plant and associated suppliers, and traffic level in general, may justify widening 20/59, but not Alabama (or Auburn) football. They only have 7, sometimes 6, home games a year. No way spending hundreds of millions on highway improvements can be justified for football.
You may be right in theory, but 20/59 was ABSOLUTELY widened due to Alabama football. It's fine to disagree, but you're ignoring facts.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketDawg View Post
65 should be widened end to end. It carries about as much traffic as 75 did not too many years ago - a lot. South of Birmingham is usually a mess, much more so than in the city, but I believe that's being worked. It just can't happen overnight.
Wut? Have you ever been to Birmingham?
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