Huntsville/Madison Development News (Tuscaloosa, Athens: traveling, parent, hours)

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

Interesting that Mayor Battle said work may begin this summer. That would be remarkable if true and would mean construction drawings are basically ready to go out for bids. Sure better clarification will come out in a few days but this time next year you could possibly see major construction in progress on I-565, Research Park Blvd, North Parkway at Mastin Lake, and possibly even US 72.

I read the article, pretty sure on al.com, and it said it would be widened between I-65 and County Line Rd. It didn't mention the portion in Madison County between County Line Rd and Wall Triana Hwy. Surely that was an oversight? It's a fairly short segment, maybe a mile, that would be left as is and that doesn't seem to be logical.

Regardless ... it's great news to hear. It's basically a 50% capacity increased, and hopefully mediate the bottleneck coming from the west in the mornings and going toward the west in the afternoons. Even at non-rush periods, the traffic is still quite heavy. Passing the gas tax was a good thing.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Coogan

I swear to the Almighty that if the 565 widening is completed before Zierdt, I’ll lead a march on city hall

Haha. Yeah, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it finished before Zierdt is done. If you were here and remember, the entire 565 took less time to build than what's transpired so far on Zierdt Rd. But they're working feverishly now on drainage, so hopefully all the screw-ups are over and they'll really finish it this time. The intersection at Madison Blvd is even more dicey now than it was, but that's only temporary.

As AU said, there's going to be a LOT of road construction in this area very soon, and it's not a minute too soon ... several years too late actually.

[Big Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Coogan

I swear to the Almighty that if the 565 widening is completed before Zierdt, I’ll lead a march on city hall

Better start prepping some marching gear and signage to take with you then. I suspect I-565 will get expedited and finish before Zierdt's current targeted completion date of late '21.

I say that based on the fact that the section of I-565 in Limestone county (where there's a concrete divider) can be expanded to three lanes in each direction fairly easily by shifting the roadway several feet to the outside and adding a lane on the inside. This should be obvious based on the lane shift that was done at the Greenbrier interchange to facilitate construction activities there. The inside lane is in what was the inside emergency lane/shoulder and the outer lane is in what was the innermost lane. The existing outermost lane is blocked with concrete barriers. The only remaining work along this stretch is extending the three or so bridges toward the median to support the new inside lane.

That leaves the areas of I-565 that have a grass median rather than a concrete divider (through Madison and at the western end just before you get to I-65). I would assume that they would just add additional lanes in the median and extend the divider wall. This would be something akin to the ongoing widening work on I-59 north of Tuscaloosa.

I would think this is something that could get done easily within a two-year period given that they don't have to do as much work where the concrete divider already exists.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by Big Grumpy

Better start prepping some marching gear and signage to take with you then. I suspect I-565 will get expedited and finish before Zierdt's current targeted completion date of late '21.

I say that based on the fact that the section of I-565 in Limestone county (where there's a concrete divider) can be expanded to three lanes in each direction fairly easily by shifting the roadway several feet to the outside and adding a lane on the inside. This should be obvious based on the lane shift that was done at the Greenbrier interchange to facilitate construction activities there. The inside lane is in what was the inside emergency lane/shoulder and the outer lane is in what was the innermost lane. The existing outermost lane is blocked with concrete barriers. The only remaining work along this stretch is extending the three or so bridges toward the median to support the new inside lane.

That leaves the areas of I-565 that have a grass median rather than a concrete divider (through Madison and at the western end just before you get to I-65). I would assume that they would just add additional lanes in the median and extend the divider wall. This would be something akin to the ongoing widening work on I-59 north of Tuscaloosa.

I would think this is something that could get done easily within a two-year period given that they don't have to do as much work where the concrete divider already exists.

I would also think it has to meet federal standards for interstate highways. There will also have to be additional bridges built near the I-65 interchange. Hopefully lighting and correct additional signage will be included.
This on the surface sounds like a half ass duct tape job.
Stay viligant Huntsville, this may just be bait to send the dogs away.
If it went to bid next month it would be at least 60-90 days before any work would start. It would also help if it was done as one project and not break it up which would be stupid.
I’m guessing a 2 and a half to depending on delays 3 year project.
The Research Park project starting soon is 30 months.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

I read the article, pretty sure on al.com, and it said it would be widened between I-65 and County Line Rd. It didn't mention the portion in Madison County between County Line Rd and Wall Triana Hwy. Surely that was an oversight? It's a fairly short segment, maybe a mile, that would be left as is and that doesn't seem to be logical.

Regardless ... it's great news to hear. It's basically a 50% capacity increased, and hopefully mediate the bottleneck coming from the west in the mornings and going toward the west in the afternoons. Even at non-rush periods, the traffic is still quite heavy. Passing the gas tax was a good thing.

Has to be an oversight, the writers of the Governor’s speech probably don’t have any idea of where I-565 is or where it goes.

[Teko03]

Originally Posted by djmaxwell

You can never have too many Zaxby's.

Originally Posted by Coogan

Probably relocate. That Zaxby's can be a pain to turn into from the northbound lane a lot of times.

Not only that, but that Zaxby's was the first Zaxby's in the area from the late 90's/early 00's. I went in there late one night a few months back and I felt disgusting looking around the inside. They need to hurry out of there.

[Big Grumpy]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

I’m guessing a 2 and a half to depending on delays 3 year project.

I'm basing my timeline on what I've watched happen on I-59 widening north of Tuscaloosa over the past few years. They are moving at a faster rate than your estimate and there's much more work involved at that location than what I'd expect on I-565. The contractor for I-565 will essentially have a headstart on the section with the concrete divider.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by Big Grumpy

I'm basing my timeline on what I've watched happen on I-59 widening north of Tuscaloosa over the past few years. They are moving at a faster rate than your estimate and there's much more work involved at that location than what I'd expect on I-565. The contractor for I-565 will essentially have a headstart on the section with the concrete divider.

True, several issues the new bridges required (3 x2 east/westbound) the section crossing Wheeler Wildlife refuge, the Huntsville International Airport interchange and the flyover for Madison Blvd. and how they handle the I-65 interchange. Shouldn’t be major issues and it sounds like they have been working on it for a year or so.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

True, several issues the new bridges required (3 x2 east/westbound) the section crossing Wheeler Wildlife refuge, the Huntsville International Airport interchange and the flyover for Madison Blvd. and how they handle the I-65 interchange. Shouldn’t be major issues and it sounds like they have been working on it for a year or so.

A little more info next year it sounds like
“Seth Burkett, a spokesman for Alabama Department of Transportation in north Alabama, told AL.com on Wednesday that the tentative “rough estimate” for the I-565 widening is about $17 million. The expanded I-65 interchange in Tanner along with five-laning Huntsville Brownsferry Road from the interstate to U.S. Highway 31 will be about $27-28 million, Burkett said.

The city of Huntsville, as part of its incentive package for the MTMUS plant, promised $60 million to connect Greenbrier Parkway to the Tanner exit.

Burkett also said that construction on I-565 is not expected to begin until next year and that planning the project will lead up to the start of construction.”

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Big Grumpy

Better start prepping some marching gear and signage to take with you then. I suspect I-565 will get expedited and finish before Zierdt's current targeted completion date of late '21.

I say that based on the fact that the section of I-565 in Limestone county (where there's a concrete divider) can be expanded to three lanes in each direction fairly easily by shifting the roadway several feet to the outside and adding a lane on the inside. This should be obvious based on the lane shift that was done at the Greenbrier interchange to facilitate construction activities there. The inside lane is in what was the inside emergency lane/shoulder and the outer lane is in what was the innermost lane. The existing outermost lane is blocked with concrete barriers. The only remaining work along this stretch is extending the three or so bridges toward the median to support the new inside lane.

That leaves the areas of I-565 that have a grass median rather than a concrete divider (through Madison and at the western end just before you get to I-65). I would assume that they would just add additional lanes in the median and extend the divider wall. This would be something akin to the ongoing widening work on I-59 north of Tuscaloosa.

I would think this is something that could get done easily within a two-year period given that they don't have to do as much work where the concrete divider already exists.

I agree with your assessment, but why was AlDoT initially saying it was such a huge project? Was it that they just didn't want to do it?