Folsom Commission Proposes New West Alabama Highway
February 12th, 2009Lt. Governor Jim Folsom’s Commission on Public-Private Partnerships issued its report in a Montgomery press conference Thursday morning calling for a new Interstate highway running north-south in West Alabama. We are in the process of evaluating the proposal and getting reaction comments from sources now.
If you are interested, you can read the report at this link.
There’s also a report on what other states are doing and an appendix, which includes a map.
Feel free to make your comments on the proposal below..
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Tags: West Alabama Highway
February 12th, 2009 at 11:40 am
I have seen proposals that this be built as a toll road, obviating the need for tax funding for construction and maintenance. The same economic stimulus will occur frontend whether financed by public debt or private investors. The investor route, pun intended, seems better for that reason.
Longterm, tolls paid by users, rather than by every taxpayer in the US, would provide maintenance and repair. Again, that seems the better way to go.
I’m interested in seeing comments on the environmental impact of a new West Alabama interstate, both immediate and longterm. The West Alabama-East Mississippi corridor is a fairly impoverished region for the most part; the project would help improve the standard of living in that area, doubtless, if done with all due care to impact the environment as little as possible.
February 12th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Obviously the environmental impact is important to us, and we are already working behind the scenes to try to get amendments to this proposal to include some green initiatives, including rail.
Obviously there is a need for a new route from Memphis to Mobile on that side of the state. But considering the state of the economy and the direction the Obama administration is planning to take on alternative technologies, we are just working to make sure lawmakers in Alabama are considering those things as well.
February 12th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
On toll roads. Most highways are built with gas tax money. The generally poor folks in west Alabama have been paying their gas tax just like the folks in the wealthier parts of the country and don’t have the roads to show for it. Putting a toll road through here will simply be another example of making the poor pay more. They will pay for the roads for the rich with their gas taxes and then pay for the road they finally get with tolls.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:57 am
From samesther via Pam’s List:
I haven’t yet read all that’s in the Locust Fork about Folsom’s idea, but he’d sure get my vote for the road business by itself.
You can’t get to Memphis from Atlanta as it is. The road would be a wonderful asset.
HOWEVER, if Folsom is going to privatize it, I’m dead set against that monkey business. Bob Riley’s given away half of Alabama as it is.
February 13th, 2009 at 6:29 am
There is enough paved over everything already.
“Catching up with Atlanta” is a goal based on increasingly questionable values. Take care of what we already have including highways. Memphis to Birmingham – Atlanta travel – check out the new I-22 corridor, essentially a redux of Highway 78. Cuts out an hour in B’ham. to Memphis, in an area with only three motels in approximately 3,000 square miles. Plenty of space for fans of “development” to get to see destroyed.
February 13th, 2009 at 8:58 am
I tend to agree, Tom, and play Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” still every now and then.
But I figure this road makes more sense than the new beltline loop planned for Birmingham, which ought to be dead on arrival at the planner’s office. I would just like to see them pick up enough right of way and funding for a high speed train running parallel. A number of ideas have floated high speed rail from Birmingham to Atlanta but go nowhere. I think the further along we get toward facing a sustainable future rail should play a role.
Now, onto the video: