The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/07/i-20...er_default

Very interesting...lot of issues to consider.

Interesting to say the least

Way too many things being discussed at the same time.

I'm not really a fan of the northern beltline, but if you are going to do it, the stuff mentioned in the article may not be needed.

Add to it the work that is being done for Corridor X and you have a lot of people apparently not on the same page or at least going after the same dollars.

During its first 30 years or so, the downtown interstates accommodated their traffic flow quite well. Why? Because they were not connected to their counterparts in ANY other parts of Alabama due to a state level political vendetta against Jeffco. I-65 South ended in Hoover and I-65 North at Fultondale for decades. I-59/20 ended in Fairfield, I-20 at Eastwood (at the Montevallo Rd Exit), I-59 in Roebuck at Center Point Rd. I-459 was delayed except for the US 31 to US 280 part which was completed early because John Harbert, in order to protect his investments in Riverchase, endowed a "Chair" at UAB for tens of thousands of dollars per year for George Wallace (was that a bribe?) to get that part - now named for Harbert - finished early. The rest took at least a decade after that to complete. MS completed its 118 miles of US 78 (Corridor X) ten years ago and the 10 miles part that is in Jeffco is still "under construction".

ALDOT is still a political arm of the state government and until I see evidence to the contrary, I will continue to suspect that it is no friend of Jeffco or the City of B'ham in the way it chooses to make decisions.

What makes me nervous is that we'll have to live with whatever they decide to do for a long time, so the time to get it right is now.

In a rare occurance of agreement with BBF, I have no faith in ALDOT to get it right.

I think that's the overriding concern. Whatever ALDOT does we're going to have to live with for forty years, and I don't trust them to make a well reasoned decision.

I think, in the end, they will ram down Birmingham's throat what they want after giving the impression of thoughtful consideration and moderate capitulation.

(07-28-2013 04:50 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Way too many things being discussed at the same time.

I'm not really a fan of the northern beltline, but if you are going to do it, the stuff mentioned in the article may not be needed.

Add to it the work that is being done for Corridor X and you have a lot of people apparently not on the same page or at least going after the same dollars.

To the rest of the world it is Interstate 22, not Corridor X. Because the damn thing is finished everywhere but Birmingham. It needs to be completed. That it isn't finished in Birmingham is an embarrassment.

(07-28-2013 05:12 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(07-28-2013 04:50 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Way too many things being discussed at the same time.

I'm not really a fan of the northern beltline, but if you are going to do it, the stuff mentioned in the article may not be needed.

Add to it the work that is being done for Corridor X and you have a lot of people apparently not on the same page or at least going after the same dollars.

To the rest of the world it is Interstate 22, not Corridor X. Because the damn thing is finished everywhere but Birmingham. It needs to be completed. That it isn't finished in Birmingham is an embarrassment.

That'd be ALDOT.

Maybe my suspicions are getting the best of me, but I think a good parallel with ALDOT relating to Jeffco and B'ham on I-59/20 is the way Auburn and Bama related to the same folks in regards to Legion Field. "Thank you for building it according to our wishes, but now it's time to say "Goodbye"."

They didn't even leave a "tip" as they went out the door.

I would say it is business as normal for those involved.

There also was a discussion a few years back about an interstate that would go North / South in the left part of the state, intersecting several black belt counties.

The idea would be to bring businesses to those communities. Of course the same reason was mentioned for the Northern Beltline.

Then of course you have the 280 discussion going on as well.

A lot of people overseeing a lot of of stuff & none appear to be on the same page.

(07-28-2013 05:19 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I would say it is business as normal for those involved.

There also was a discussion a few years back about an interstate that would go North / South in the left part of the state, intersecting several black belt counties.

The idea would be to bring businesses to those communities. Of course the same reason was mentioned for the Northern Beltline.

Then of course you have the 280 discussion going on as well.

A lot of people overseeing a lot of of stuff & none appear to be on the same page.

In regard to US 280, a main problem may be that it runs through the home neighborhoods of some of the most politically important and financially powerful families in Alabama. (Note that all interstates skirt those cities as well.)

(07-28-2013 05:12 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(07-28-2013 04:50 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Way too many things being discussed at the same time.

I'm not really a fan of the northern beltline, but if you are going to do it, the stuff mentioned in the article may not be needed.

Add to it the work that is being done for Corridor X and you have a lot of people apparently not on the same page or at least going after the same dollars.

To the rest of the world it is Interstate 22, not Corridor X. Because the damn thing is finished everywhere but Birmingham. It needs to be completed. That it isn't finished in Birmingham is an embarrassment.

Remember when the Red Mountain Expressway ended in the air at 2nd Ave North? I don't remember who the pol was that had an axe to grind and wouldn't release funds for that last half a mile.

"Screw Birmingham."

Of course, ALDOT has the best interests of Birmingham in mind and will make a well reasoned and informed decision.

And if you think you just choked on that, I leave this writer's travails to the imagination.

Pictures of the progress of I-65 / I-22

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/07/i-65...er_default

(07-29-2013 11:02 AM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Pictures of the progress of I-65 / I-22

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/07/i-65...er_default

When is the current completion date for the project? Until it is COMPLETED and open, it is not "I-22" since that would require the federal contribution of 90% of construction costs that "Corridor X / US 78" does not. Its current status calls for much more tenuous funding than if it was already I-22.

Oct 15, 2014 supposedly. Don't hold your breath.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_22

(07-28-2013 07:46 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  

(07-28-2013 05:12 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(07-28-2013 04:50 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Way too many things being discussed at the same time.

I'm not really a fan of the northern beltline, but if you are going to do it, the stuff mentioned in the article may not be needed.

Add to it the work that is being done for Corridor X and you have a lot of people apparently not on the same page or at least going after the same dollars.

To the rest of the world it is Interstate 22, not Corridor X. Because the damn thing is finished everywhere but Birmingham. It needs to be completed. That it isn't finished in Birmingham is an embarrassment.

Remember when the Red Mountain Expressway ended in the air at 2nd Ave North? I don't remember who the pol was that had an axe to grind and wouldn't release funds for that last half a mile.

"Screw Birmingham."

Of course, ALDOT has the best interests of Birmingham in mind and will make a well reasoned and informed decision.

And if you think you just choked on that, I leave this writer's travails to the imagination.

Contributing to the delay was a court action by residents of Metropolitan Gardens blocking the demolition of some project units for the road to go straight into 20/59. That court action resulted in the redesigned swerve to the right (headed north) when it was eventually completed. Ironically, those units were later demolished anyways for the "Hope 6" development. I recall Larry Langford's comments at the time questioning why these public project tenants should be allowed to delay the immediate completion of the Expressway.