Mobile Development Thread

[Bogue]

I used to think gas prices would make the automobile prohibitively expensive, but I think Western countries have quickly begun moving away from oil-based personal vehicles (and PacRim countries are probably right there as well). Hybrids are everywhere now, small/medium sized cars are "in", and full electrics aren't uncommon anymore. This has basically happened in a 5 year span (since Katrina jacked up the oil prices, really) Americans are in love with the personal auto and change vehicles fairly quickly. Means the highway system (& with it suburbia) isn't going away anytime soon.

I'd prefer they took pressure off the tunnels by making I-165 connect to the Africatown bridge (with a raised road section over the existing roadway) and connecting that to I-10. I-165's already underused and huge. That bridge is huge and underused. A lot of the beach traffic would evaporate with that and the commuter traffic between the counties could also easily use that.

but my preferences probably don't matter as they've already decided to build some pointless monstrosity of a bridge regardless. It's sort of pointless to argue over it anymore.

The Bayway does need to be widened, though. If for no other reason than b/c the Causeway is going to have to be reworked to include more bridges and allow more water mixing at some point in the future. There could potentially be sections of a fixed Causeway which aren't economically viable to 4-lane.

As for commuter rail, bus transit, etc. I think Mobile county is a better option for spending that money. Both b/c there's already a system in place that can be expanded and because there's a much larger population that's increasingly further from the center of town than the Eastern Shore suburbs. I'm not actually worried about the suburbs in Baldwin as much as the ones in Mobile. There's the 2 close established ones (Spanish Fort/Daphne), & the cool one (Fairhope), but if you go a bit inland outside of those then you're basically just paying more to live in Grand Bay/Semmes. Mobile county's got twice the population over a more concentrated area. The worst traffic in all of S. AL is Airport Blvd. That should be the priority. Getting some form of dedicated rapid transit along Airport from The Loop to Mobile Regional should be first on the list.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by Bogue

As for commuter rail, bus transit, etc. I think Mobile county is a better option for spending that money. Both b/c there's already a system in place that can be expanded and because there's a much larger population that's increasingly further from the center of town than the Eastern Shore suburbs. I'm not actually worried about the suburbs in Baldwin as much as the ones in Mobile. There's the 2 close established ones (Spanish Fort/Daphne), & the cool one (Fairhope), but if you go a bit inland outside of those then you're basically just paying more to live in Grand Bay/Semmes. Mobile county's got twice the population over a more concentrated area. The worst traffic in all of S. AL is Airport Blvd. That should be the priority. Getting some form of dedicated rapid transit along Airport from The Loop to Mobile Regional should be first on the list.

I agree on this point... commute out west gets worst by the day. Any money for mass transit should be spent in Mobile County... focus on going west first, then north, then south. Seeing that the population is working towards those ways... plus, all us work here and contribute to the tax base in Mobile County, those coming from the east just work here. Most of their monies are spent in Baldwin County.

As far as traffic being rerouted on I-165 via Africatown, don't see that as working to fix the issue. Most people won't take it because it'll cost time. I wouldn't say I-165 is underused either. More people are using it daily, its heavily used during Mardi Gras, greatly used during rushhour by people going north... I just think more people are use to using I-10 to get to I-65, when it really takes about the same time either way. Also, traffic going north is only going to get worst... they making some things happen up round Saraland/ Satsuma area, just wish they had better planning.

[Port_of_Bama]

Last night when I was passing through the tunnels I noticed how well lit our skyline is.RSA has done a great job with illuminating the Bank Trust Tower..The skyline was visually pleasing. It looked like a skyline that fit a metro of 800k maybe not 600K....I hope they continue to enhance and illuminate or skyline !

[Bogue]

Originally Posted by CottonCity251

As far as traffic being rerouted on I-165 via Africatown, don't see that as working to fix the issue. Most people won't take it because it'll cost time. I wouldn't say I-165 is underused either. More people are using it daily, its heavily used during Mardi Gras, greatly used during rushhour by people going north... I just think more people are use to using I-10 to get to I-65, when it really takes about the same time either way.

It is significantly quicker to get from I-65S to the Bayway section of I-10E by way of I-165 than it is by going allllll the way around I-65 to where it dead-ends into I-10. That's with the potential issue of red lights in downtown. I use that route all the time. There's almost never traffic. In the middle of the day you can go the length of it and see less than 20 vehicles. If it directly connected to I-10 rather than forcing people to go through downtown it would be an even faster route. You could get to the bayway in around 5-10 minutes vs. going all the way around which is at least 3 times the distance.

but, like I said, it's a pointless argument. The only legit argument now is over design as they've pretty much made up their minds.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by Bogue

It is significantly quicker to get from I-65S to the Bayway section of I-10E by way of I-165 than it is by going allllll the way around I-65 to where it dead-ends into I-10. That's with the potential issue of red lights in downtown. I use that route all the time. There's almost never traffic. In the middle of the day you can go the length of it and see less than 20 vehicles. If it directly connected to I-10 rather than forcing people to go through downtown it would be an even faster route. You could get to the bayway in around 5-10 minutes vs. going all the way around which is at least 3 times the distance.

but, like I said, it's a pointless argument. The only legit argument now is over design as they've pretty much made up their minds.

That would be an extra 15-20 minutes that would land them at the foot of the tunnels on the Causeway or hope there isn't a wreck in aither tunnel... seems to me most would whether wait unless they are forced to take that route. But like you said, its a pointless argument now seeing they're going to build the bridge.

[SouthSky]

An online article about widening I10 in Baldwin County from the end of the Bayway:

Link

[Electrical Porpoise]

I live right in the middle of I65 and going downtown on I165 a good bit quicker than I10 and obviously has no traffic. If they did construction on Bay Bridge it would be suitable. I go Cochrane/Africatown Bridge to Baldwin County anyways -- and if people going southbound on I65 knew they could go that way, I suspect they would too.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by SouthSky

An online article about widening I10 in Baldwin County from the end of the Bayway:

Link

About time ! It`s good to see more infrastructure improvements.

[jmbreland]

Ah... the I-165 controversy.

In Jacksonville, there's no west-east interstate throughfare through downtown. The I-10 eastern terminus terminates just short of downtown and interchanges with I-95. In order to continue east, depending on the destination, one has three routes to take: a couple exits off I-95 N that would take the traffic through downtown to two other limited access highways (Arlington Expressway or Commodore Point Expressway) or take I-95 S, which takes the traffic east across St. Johns then continues south. To go east, obviously, you'd have to take an exit at some point. The point is that in traffic planning, there are always compromises made and solutions developed to minimize adverse impacts on the surrounding community and at the same time optimize traffic flow. The I-165 was originally planned to continue as an elevated expressway above Water Street and connect with I-10. That would have had an adverse effect on downtown Mobile, cutting it off completely from the waterfront. Thank God the planners decided to drop it down at the northern end of Water Street!

As much as I can remember, what can use some improving is traffic light synchronization for better traffic flow through Water Street from I-165 to I-10. In Jax, lights on Union (eastbound) and State (westbound) streets between Arlington Expressway and I-95 are beautifully synchronized and there are more than 10 of them through the downtown grid. During off-peak hours, it's rare to ever have to stop in downtown. During the peak hours, I get stopped only two, maybe three times, when passing through.

I tried searching for videos showing such synchronization of traffic lights online, didn't find any but came across the videos below. Enjoy!

Video of Arlington Expressway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzL4Tb-Xpz0

Bonus videos - I-10 eastbound & westbound through Mobile:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0N5W1d2GTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2a9bYTuOtY

[Port_of_Bama]

The first video of Mobile was pretty cool.

[jmbreland]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

The first video of Mobile was pretty cool.

"Pretty cool"? Come on, that was awesome! Don't you get a rush racing through the interstate at what appears to be 150 mph??

[NitekKetin]

According to earlier plans for the Metro's expressway system, I-65 would have been extended across I-10, across the Dog River to an eventual termination with AL 163 en route to Dauphin Island.

North and west of Downtown, Bay Bridge Road would have been a limited access highway crossing the Mobile River and connecting to I-10 east via a pair of fly over ramps.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by NitekKetin

According to earlier plans for the Metro's expressway system, I-65 would have been extended across I-10, across the Dog River to an eventual termination with AL 163 en route to Dauphin Island.

North and west of Downtown, Bay Bridge Road would have been a limited access highway crossing the Mobile River and connecting to I-10 east via a pair of fly over ramps.

They should consider extending I-65 farther south to AL 163 !!

[eshore78]

NBC WPMI 15 is reporting that they've learned that the air force will announce the tanker winner next Friday after the stock market closes. Might be a big week for the port city.

[SouthSky]

Originally Posted by eshore78

NBC WPMI 15 is reporting that they've learned that the air force will announce the tanker winner next Friday after the stock market closes. Might be a big week for the port city.

This should be an anxiety-filled week for the city...

Link to WPMI's story: HERE

[elb401]

We can probably expect the announcement to leak out earlier than that.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by SouthSky

This should be an anxiety-filled week for the city...

Link to WPMI's story: HERE

IKR.... hope we win, fingers crossed!!

[jmbreland]

Oh, the anticipation!

[SouthSky]

The tanker competition is winding down and now the Census data for Alabama is next to be released... going to be an interesting week.

[Port_of_Bama]

Man I can just feel the energy !! Soooo much anxiety and pressure in the city right now!!