Widening the Huntsville Parkway
Everyone is giving ideas for stores, museums and other businesses within Huntsville, but we continue to overlook what I believe is the most important step to improving Huntsville's economic prosperity; widening the Parkway between the overpasses.
Widening the Parkway to 3 lanes north and south would guarantee traffic to already established storefronts and businesses, but alleviate
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Widening the Huntsville Parkway
Everyone is giving ideas for stores, museums and other businesses within Huntsville, but we continue to overlook what I believe is the most important step to improving Huntsville's economic prosperity; widening the Parkway between the overpasses.
Widening the Parkway to 3 lanes north and south would guarantee traffic to already established storefronts and businesses, but alleviate what is already an unsafe and slow commute to those businesses. It is too late to wait for the Southern bypass which would carve it's way through the Arsenal away from all businesses. It will be 10-20 years before we see any government department agree to the right of ways, security (Arsenal) and costs.
This city has 1 main north/south roadway and it utilizes 2 lanes at 50 mph. This is amazing considering the size of Huntsville. Any minor accident closes one or both lanes until cleared. With the amount of traffic that flows daily creates a situation where most drivers are practically forced to follow less than 1 or 2 car lengths behind each other during peak travel. Given road safety hazard rules for driving, vehicles should be 5-6 car lengths behind the leading vehicle at the posted speed limit. This is mathematically impossible and should be a concern.
The most expensive aspect of such a project has already been Completed. Most of the overpasses are designed and built with 3 lanes each direction. And, we already have a 3rd (semi-paved) lane in between those overpass lanes, but is being used for stalled vehicles and accidents. They are rarely utilized! Paving the lane is by far cheaper and quicker than any alternative we have. There are street lights that can be moved immediately next to that 3rd lane allowing for a small non-standardized service lane to be created in 95% of in those areas for very limited purposes.
The only issue in creating the 3rd thru lane is merging traffic from the service road. You would have to extend the on-ramp lane entering the parkway just far enough to allow merging traffic (no more or less than the overpass do at the current time).
Are we held down by highway standards and/or expandability? Will the State or Federal guidelines prevent us from making such a necessary improvement? Expanding the lanes between the overpasses is inevitable and if Huntsville is going to be considered a smart town then this is a no-brainer. It is better than any alternative, just as safe as what we have now, would improve the traffic flow 33%, and give more room for bypassing traffic snafu's and emergency vehicles. It would also improve the cities image of a growing robust city beyond the 2 lane town it seems to be.
-Darryl
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