Huntsville updates

[Huntsvillenative]

Originally Posted by crr0004

I think an even better start would be Park and Rides. They could put a few large parking lots in Hampton Cove, Jones Valley, Madison, Monrovia, and somewhere off Winchester and have buses running from those parking lots to Redstone, Research Park, downtown, etc.

That's a FANTASTIC idea!! This needs to be brought to the attention of the city council ASAP!!

[Jacknah]

Originally Posted by Alabadrock

I think it would be a synch for Decatur, Huntsville, and Madison to get together pooling their resources and creating a 565 regional bus route. Combining all three cities would help with funding. I sent an email about a route to all of my councilmen.

Why does it have to be the government? Contract Greyhound and ask them to start a Huntsville/Decatur route, if they don't already have one.

[jmanhsv]

Originally Posted by crr0004

I think an even better start would be Park and Rides. They could put a few large parking lots in Hampton Cove, Jones Valley, Madison, Monrovia, and somewhere off Winchester and have buses running from those parking lots to Redstone, Research Park, downtown, etc.

Yeah, but the first thing they'll have to do is increase the frequency and the hours that the buses run. You can't just stick a bunch of large parking lots and expect people to use them with the current service. If they put a park and ride near the intersection of Winchester and Meridian, for example, inbound buses only run by there at :28 past the hour... sometimes sooner, sometimes later. So if you miss the 7:28 am bus, you'll have to wait for the 8:28 bus (or you can just drive to work, in which case the park and ride becomes ineffective). So, like I said earlier, they need to increase the buses to every 15 minutes during rush hour and every 30 all other times. And what happens if you're late getting out of work? Then you're either stuck at the office, or stuck downtown at the bus terminal. Many cities have "guaranteed ride home" programs to prevent something like that from happening. But it would be better if they extended the time the buses run to 10pm/midnight.

Another problem with park-and -rides: they are more effective far away from the city center, say, 15-20 miles out. If they're closer in people won't use them as much because they think "it's only 10 minutes to work from here. Why stop here?" So these communities would be better park and ride points: Hazel Green, Riverton, Brownsboro, Owens Crossroads, extreme south Huntsville, Decatur, Athens, and Harvest. But wait! Our current bus system is confined to Huntsville city limits! Another good reason why we need regional transit.

[HSVTiger]

Regional transit would be a great topic for the current mayoral candidates.
A trial program between Huntsville/Redstone and Decatur maybe. Running busses between the two cities during rush hours to a location on Redstone and or Research Park. Everyone hypes regional cooperation, this would be a possible project.

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville International Airport 1300+ space parking deck expansion update.




Parker Building photos

[ThatGuy]

I think adding retail to each park-and-ride site would go a long way toward making it acceptable to our residents. It could be something as simple as a gas station/convience store/waiting area at each of the outer "spoke" stops. It could be a deal where the city buys the land if the retail will pay for the construction.

IMO the city doesn't do enough looking at ways to offset costs by including possible retail locations. I also think all parking decks should have some retail space allocated, but that is a seperate discussion.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

I think adding retail to each park-and-ride site would go a long way toward making it acceptable to our residents. It could be something as simple as a gas station/convience store/waiting area at each of the outer "spoke" stops. It could be a deal where the city buys the land if the retail will pay for the construction.

IMO the city doesn't do enough looking at ways to offset costs by including possible retail locations. I also think all parking decks should have some retail space allocated, but that is a seperate discussion.

the new parking deck scheduled for construction downtown, across from 301 east is to have some retail spaces. I think it is the desire of the city for that to be the case in the future. When that deck is set to begin I don't know.

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville brewery back in business

Local brews soon will flow yet again from Huntsville's downtown taps.

Thirteen months after a fire destroyed the Olde Towne brewery on Holmes Avenue, Huntsville's only beermaker has reopened in new quarters on Leeman Ferry Road.

"I brewed the first batch of beer two weeks ago," said founder and co-owner Don Alan Hankins during Saturday's open house for friends and customers.

The first kegs are set to go out a week from Wednesday, said Hankins. Six-packs could appear in local stores a month later.

For those who don't wish to wait, early samples can be had during a beer tasting Monday at 5 p.m. at The Nook on Bob Wallace Avenue and again at 6 p.m. on Aug. 13 at 801 Franklin.

Hankins said he's already cooling kegs of hefeweizen and pale ale for shipment. The amber will be added next. Olde Towne Brewing Co. will re-introduce the pilsner a month later, he said, and also sell a pumpkin ale in October.

The renewed brews can also be sampled during the official Grand Re-opening Party, featuring live music on Aug. 23. The party will run from 5 until 11 p.m. at the Lowe Mill on 9th Avenue. Admission is free. The public is invited.

[HSVTiger]

Road construction updates from the Huntsville Planning Department, (from HSV Times article)
http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/kclines.ssf?/base/news/1217754911118160.xml&coll=1

The service road for the proposed Harris Hills commercial development at U.S. 72 and Moores Mill Road "is well ahead of schedule." The service road, which runs from High Mountain Road to Old Gurley Pike, is about 80 percent complete. The job was scheduled to be completed in February, but now is expected to be done this month.

The widening of Governors Drive to seven lanes between Monroe and Gallatin streets is expected to be completed this fall. Storm drainage work is under way with curb and gutter work to follow.

The update reports that city engineers said the actual Governors road work may be completed late in the summer followed by "off the roadway" work such as building sidewalks and installing utility poles to finish the project.

The widening of Oakwood Road from Old Monrovia Road to Research Park Boulevard is about 60 percent complete and is expected to be finished late this fall.

The pedestrian improvement project in Five Points is about 35 percent complete and is scheduled to finish in October.

Changing the Jeff Road intersection at Alabama 53, and widening Alabama 53 on both sides of the intersection, is about 35 percent complete but no completion date has been set.

The Memorial Parkway overpass and main lanes from Whitesburg Drive to Weatherly Road is about 20 percent complete and is expected to be finished in January 2010.

The Gillespie Road extension from Browns Ferry Road to Balch Road in Madison is about 20 percent complete. A completion date has not been determined.

Widening Winchester Road to five lanes from the Huntsville city limits near Valhalla Funeral Home past Moores Mill Road to Dominion Circle began in early July. Problems getting utilities such as telephone and television cable lines moved prevented construction from beginning sooner. The contractor has 300 working days to complete the project, which means it could continue through much of 2009.

Clinton Avenue closing

The west end of Clinton Avenue will close to through traffic for several months beginning Monday morning for a bridge replacement project at Broglan Branch.

Miller and Miller Inc., which was awarded a contract by the city for the work, will close the street at 7 a.m. Monday, said Mark Sealy, project manager for Miller and Miller.

The bridge replacement and related drainage improvements to Broglan Branch on each side of Clinton could take four or five months, he said.

A detour using Seminole Drive to travel between Clinton and Governors Drive will be marked, Sealy said.

[HSVTiger]

A Q&A on planned restaurant downtown. They did a real nice job on the restoration of the building.

Q. What's going to happen with 100 Southside Square on the courthouse square downtown. A restaurant was going in there, and there was a fuss about tables on the street or something; the corner was remodeled but nothing happened.

A. Huntsville businessman Jeff Sikes, the owner of Sikes Automotive Group, and three partners plan to open Cotton Row restaurant in late summer or early fall. The fine-dining restaurant will seat 71 people inside and 54 on the patio. The basement will have a chef's table and wine cellar and will accommodate up to 16 people. "Unique features in the basement and kitchen have taken time to assimilate and construct," said Sikes. "It'll be worth the wait."

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by jmanhsv

Another problem with park-and -rides: they are more effective far away from the city center, say, 15-20 miles out. If they're closer in people won't use them as much because they think "it's only 10 minutes to work from here. Why stop here?" So these communities would be better park and ride points: Hazel Green, Riverton, Brownsboro, Owens Crossroads, extreme south Huntsville, Decatur, Athens, and Harvest. But wait! Our current bus system is confined to Huntsville city limits! Another good reason why we need regional transit.

I actually sent e-mails out to all of the city councilmen in Decatur about this. But, I only got a reply from my councilman. He said it was an interesting idea, but wondered whether we would really want to provide people an easier route to leak tax dollars out of the cities. I replied back citing regional cooperation as a good reason to consider this.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Road construction updates from the Huntsville Planning Department, (from HSV Times article)

To mention some Decatur projects. The first phase of the Beltline is about 95% finished. All that's left is some smoothing of the roadway and some median work.

The city resurfacing projects, which included about 30-40 roads is about 99% complete.

Market Street realignment near the riverfront is almost finished.

Work on turning lanes into Ingall's Harbor is still in planning stages.

[mlog]

The widening of Oakwood Road from Old Monrovia Road to Research Park Boulevard is about 60 percent complete and is expected to be finished late this fall.

Looks a lot farther along than 60% to me.

[Y1wbahk]

Church parking lots make convenient parking during the week. Most churches want to be of service to the community and it could be a win-win for the church (except for special events like funerals).

I would love to park my car and take a bus to work (medical district).

[HSVTiger]

Site work and construction has begun on the previously announced addition
to Depot Professional Village downtown. The three story 30,000 sq ft building is at the corner of Church St and Cleveland Ave. Just across from the Huntsville Depot.
The old caboose from Twickenham Station restaurant is located there. That restaurant used to be a fancy place downtown(you would dine in actual train cars) about where the current
Ruth's Chris is now.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by Y1wbahk

Church parking lots make convenient parking during the week. Most churches want to be of service to the community and it could be a win-win for the church (except for special events like funerals).

I would love to park my car and take a bus to work (medical district).

Madison's already doing this.

[jonnie256]

This is off subject but.....I was going from Decatur to Athens on I-65 and I noticed at the Browsferry rd. bridge,it looks to me that they are starting to create on and off ramps on the western side of I-65. Are they actually going to make it a exit finally there? Are they planning something big there we don't know about yet? And there are signs around there that do say planned"mega site".

[Colin Giersberg]

The exit is going in. As far as the TVA mega site, that was certified a couple of years ago, but to my knowledge, there is no big project about to go in.
The bridge across I-65 will be raised to allow taller loads to go under it.

Regards, Colin

[ThatGuy]

Yesterday it looked like a permanent street sign might be going up to replace the temporary "Govenors Drive this exit" sign that has been there for years. All I actually saw was a truck full of workers near the temporary sign. The truck was pulling a trailer that had one of the overhead frames to which they attach the signs.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

Yesterday it looked like a permanent street sign might be going up to replace the temporary "Govenors Drive this exit" sign that has been there for years. All I actually saw was a truck full of workers near the temporary sign. The truck was pulling a trailer that had one of the overhead frames to which they attach the signs.

Let's hope that's what it is. Course, I'm still waiting for the sign to be replaced that directed traffic from I-65 northbound to Decatur.