Interstate-459 Loop Extension (JeffCo Perimeter)



Start: I-20/59 @ I-459 South – End: Trussville, AL
(western segment not included in Interstate-22 Extension)

Est. Length: 55 miles (I-20/59 to Trussville)

Benefits: Economic Growth, Population Centers, Environmental/Fuel, Existing Highway

Connecting: AL: Birmingham, Hoover, west Jefferson County, Graysville, Center Pointe, Gardendale, Trussville, Moody, North Johns/Adger.

Intersections: I-59/20, North Johns/Adger/Cow Gap, AL; I-22, Graysville/Adamsville (merge), AL; I-65, Gardendale; I-59, Trussville (split).

Description
With the suggested extension of Interstate-22 from Graysville, Alabama north of Birmingham, a western segment extension of I-459 to connect with Interstate-22 from the south to cross I-459 at the intersection with I-20/59 would provide a perimeter bypass for Birmingham, Alabama improving traffic flow through the fast growing southern and eastern metropolitan areas. A northern extension of I-459 is already planned as High Priority Corridor 28. The extension of I-22 from Graysville to Gardendale and Center Point to north of Trussville would provide the largest segment of the northern extension with co-routing/signing with I-459. I-22 would continue its south-southeasterly route to around Harpersville to route along with all or parts of the recently widened U.S. 280. I-59 would then be co-signed with I-459 from the I-22/I-59 intersection south to the I-459 intersection. The new northern segment with I-22, and western segment would form the remainder of the I-459 JeffCo (Jefferson County) Perimeter.

The northern arc around Birmingham would allow a bypass alleviating heavy traffic in the inner city along I-65 and I-59/20 as well as be a less expensive land acquisition method.

Interstate-59 Extension

Start: Alton, LA – End: Lookout Mountain, GA
Start: Lookout Mtn, GA – End: Cookeville, TN

Est. Length: 84 miles.

Benefits: Economic Growth, Environmental/Fuel, Population Centers, Existing Highways

Connecting: TN: Cookeville, Chattanooga. GA: Lookout Mtn. AL: Birmingham/Hoover. MS: Meridian, Hattiesburg. LA: New Orleans.

Intersections: I-40, Cookeville; I-75/81 Chattanooga, I-30, Scottsboro; I-22, I-20, Birmingham; I-14, Meridian-Hattiesburg. I-10, Slidell.

Description
With a co-signed route with I-24, the I-59 extension from its current terminus at Lookout Mountain, Georgia to Cookeville, Tennessee and utilization of US-27 might then be extended to Cookeville, Tennessee utilizing SR-111 north of Sparta. The suggested route along the Marion and counties border via Signal Mountain to Soddy-Daisy might provide a western Chattanooga Loop Interstate. Future extensions north might extend I-59 to Terre Haute, Indiana via Owensboro/Evansville or Louisville, Kentucky via Somerset.

Such Interstate suggestions might be considered ‘housekeeping’, as the Interstate highway system seems to randomly abandon some Interstate routes, or perhaps original extension plans were never completed.

Interstate-7

Start: Mobile, AL – End: Carlston, MO

Est. Length: TBD s (Mobile to I-155 @ Dyersburg, TN)

Benefits: Homeland Security, Economic Development, Population Centers, Evacuation Route, Existing Highways

Connecting: AL: Mobile. MS: Meridian, Starkville/Columbus, Tupelo, Corinth. TN: Jackson, Dyersburg @ I-155.

Intersections: I-20/59 Meridian, MS; I-16 Extension Columbus/Starkville, MS; I-22 Tupelo, MS; I-40 Jackson, TN, I-55, Carlston, MO.

Description: A new Interstate, I-7 provides a critical northern route from the Gulf Coast at Mobile, Alabama. The northern route provides links to northern population centers to Gulf Coast ports. I-7 will also relieve Interstate’s 65 and 59 as a critical hurricane evacuation route. As the resident and tourist populations continue to grow along the Gulf Coast, better transportation routes are required for economic opportunity as well as for emergency evacuations.

The connection at Dyersburg allows for the re-designation of I-155 to I-7 and creates the terminus for I-7 at Carleston, MO. Future expansions would provide important economic route between the Midwest and Southern states.