Flyovers part of long-range plan for 280, but funding them isn’t

The Alabama Department of Transportation has long had a vision for how to improve the U.S. 280 corridor.

More than two decades ago, engineers identified and sought to install four grade separations, or flyovers, at the highway’s busiest intersections — Rocky Ridge Road, Valleydale Road, Alabama Highway 119 and I-459. A plan was drawn up for at least one of these back in the early 2000s, but the funding never came.

Now, after the recent $15 million Intersection Improvement Plan’s completion, current projects on U.S. 280 might be the last pieces of significant work on the corridor for years to come. 

ALDOT Division 3 Engineer Brian Davis said funding for infrastructure has been decreasing for decades for two reasons. First, the majority of funding for roads and bridges is collected from fuel taxes, and those taxes don’t increase with inflation.

The U.S. government collects 18.4 cents from every gallon of gas purchased nationally, and Alabama collects an additional 20.87 cents, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Neither rate has increased since 1993, but inflation has climbed 64 percent.

That’s where the second problem comes in — people aren’t buying as much gas as they used to. As oil prices rise, more hybrid and electric vehicles hit the road, and more Americans elect to walk, bike and carpool. It’s led to significant funding restraints for federal infrastructure projects.

“With the way we’re funded right now, we’re in maintenance mode,” Davis said.

So ALDOT has changed its plan. There won’t be $1 billion coming down the pipe to put in an elevated highway, but a few million dollars here and there can still help significantly. So, here’s what 280 drivers can expect to see that money used to build both in the short and long term.

Current projects (funding identified):

Grandview/Blue Lake Access Road

ALDOT decided to pull a piece from the flyover engineering plans and get started on it this year. On 280 westbound, the department plans to remove the Colonnade Drive exit and use part of the current road to connect Grandview Parkway and Blue Lake Drive.

The project would make room for an I-459 flyover that would eliminate the left-turn signal for 280 traffic heading toward Tuscaloosa on the interstate. The flyover isn’t coming anytime soon, but the Intersection Improvement Plan revealed a need to help drivers who wanted to turn left onto 280 from the Grandview signal.

 “Those drivers had to travel down U.S. 280 and make this other leg and get back in,” Davis said. “Drury Inn has patrons who aren’t necessarily local citizens, and that’s an awkward maneuver.”

 So ALDOT cut trees at the intersection both to increase visibility and prepare for the flyover. It’s also in negotiations with Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen for right-of-way acquisition. The access road will cut through a portion of the restaurant’s parking lot, and ALDOT plans to convey some of its excess property to them to meet zoning requirements for parking.

Davis said the timing of the project is also important for Pappadeaux, which is currently constructing on the former Ralph & Kacoo’s site at that intersection.

“If we let that restaurant open and have to come back in and take some of its parking, that’s a painful thing to do,” Davis said. “So, while they’re in the process of being able to begin opening, we need to go on and close our transaction. And if we’re going to close the transaction, why not go on and construct?”

Davis said the access road should be complete by the end of 2015.

Requests for comment from Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen were not returned.

Alabama 119 Widening/Resurfacing

Construction is coming this summer to Highway 119, but like the work at I-459, it isn’t the department’s big fix for the intersection. Davis said ALDOT envisions a flyover at the site, but drivers at the intersection didn’t need to potentially wait for improvements. 

 “It’s like a phase 1 approach to get some improvements and not make us all suffer for 20 years while we wait on that bigger project,” he said.

Work includes increasing the width of the highway on the north side between Brook Highland Drive and U.S. 280 from a two-lane road to a four-lane. A fifth drop lane would be added running south toward the 280 intersection.

This would increase the intersection to two left turn lanes from Cahaba Valley Road onto 280, and allow for two left turn lanes from 280 eastbound.

Across the intersection, an additional lane is proposed from Corporate Drive to the 280 intersection that would create an additional through lane at the intersection. A second left turn lane off U.S. 280 westbound is also proposed.

Utility construction began in February, and Davis said he expects that work to continue through this summer and possibly into summer 2015. Preconstruction Engineer Lance Taylor said he anticipated work on the widening to begin spring 2015.

Future projects (no current funding plan):

I-459 Flyover

The U.S. 280 and I-459 intersection — especially for traffic heading toward Birmingham — can be messy and confusing to navigate. Around the year 2000, ALDOT saw a need to remove the signal just east of The Summit to alleviate congestion and had the plans drawn up. The price tag came back at approximately $55 million.

“It’s one of those targeted projects in the long-range plan that’s got to have a funding source,” Davis said.

The project would include an off-ramp that launches from the right lanes of 280 just west of the Grandview Parkway intersection. It hooks over the top of the current overpass and reconnects at the on-ramp toward Tuscaloosa.

Flyovers at Alabama 119, Valleydale Road and Rocky Ridge Road

ALDOT believes installing grade separations at these busy intersections is the long-term fix for the corridor. However, each would cost a minimum of $20 million to complete.

“Until you finally get to the point where everything comes to a screeching halt — and it’s going to be painful — but for this thing to happen and for improvements to be made, the public has got to accept more taxes in some form or fashion,” Davis said. “So, until we get to that, can’t really talk about when we can make these big capacity improvements.”