Posted on 10/16/2016 11:13:05 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Hidden among all the recent great news affecting Birmingham’s amazing rebirth is the story of the long-awaited opening of I-22, or Corridor X. That’s a shame, because no single success in our recent past may prove to be more important and have greater long-term favorable impact on this region than today’s ribbon cutting.
Since the days of the Roman Empire and the famous Appian Way, roads (and particularly crossroads) have always played a critically important role in the economic growth and prosperity of cities. In the earliest days of our country, waterway intersections were the places where communities grew into towns and cities.
Birmingham itself grew “like magic” from the intersection of two railway lines. In the second half of the 20th century, major cities developed around air connections. Simply put, commerce depends on intersections of roadways, waterways, rail lines and air travel as key elements to transport workers, deliver our food supplies, our raw and finished materials and ship our products.
The opening of the I-22 interchange opens provides us with an interstate link to Memphis. Birmingham now joins the elite ranks of top Southern cities with what’s considered a near-perfect interstate infrastructure. Counting Birmingham, only three cities in the South will now be favored with six interstate spokes emanating from their city center.
Joining us in this exclusive club are Atlanta and Nashville. And here’s the key: no one city has more than six spokes. This bodes extremely well for future business growth and the long-term commercial vitality of the Magic City.
(Excerpt) Read more at alabamanewscenter.com ...
Why would anyone want a faster way to get to either city.
Lets say you wanted to drive from Atlanta to OKC. or Alb. Used to be Chattanooga-Nashville-Memphis....
Now Birmingham-Memphis. It will save about an hour.
YMMV.
Why so negative? I’m happy that Alabama has more interstate highway options. I wish we were doing that everywhere. The current interstate system is outdated and does not fully address today’s traffic patterns.
While I have stayed in both cities in my travels, I now know that smart travellers stay way out in the suburbs and don't venture near downtown, except in the daylight hours.
It is sad when I feel safer in West Memphis, AR than I do in Memphis proper.
“...It is sad when I feel safer in West Memphis, AR than I do in Memphis proper....”
Ain’t that the truth. And this is coming from a Memphis native.
Wow...I am sort of shocked the highway was actually finished...
These union jobs normally are pushed back for eternity...
Thinking of changing West Memphis’ name to Memphis Improper.
“I-22 finally connects Birmingham to Memphis”
So, which way is the crime going to flow?
Stalemate...they meet in the middle.
“Stalemate...they meet in the middle.”
A rest stop in no-man’s land.
When great herds of buffalo roamed and stampeded over the
countryside (before roads), the herds wore deep paths on
the land in the most sensible routes. Later, when the white
man built highways, the roads that had been created by the
bison hooves were what was used by man for his foundations
for the roads to follow. When you travel over a road, thank
the buffalo for it. Thank God for the buffalo herds; and
thank God for His wisdom in the fact that the great herds
no longer (sadly in a way) stampede across the roads you
are now driving your vehicles upon. - People fuss about the
occasional lone deer they hit with their vehicles; think
how they would be fussing if a huge herd of giants were
stampeding down the interstates now!
Why would anyone want a faster way to get to either city?
Well, if you drove a big rig for a living it would make perfect sense. I did and I am happy to see the completion of this project even if it comes after I have retired from the road.
Vernon and Gladys probably would've found it handy when they moved from Tupelo to Memphis with their 13yo lad the King in 1948.
BTW per Google maps I-22 ends just across the TN line. You have to negotiate regular roads and streets to get to Beale Street, the Stax museum, the airport, or Graceland.
ff
ff
Willie Green, is that you?
The interstate runs both ways so it's also a faster way to get out of both cities.
Alabama ain’t union
Especially road builders
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