Bob Wade Lane Insanity -- Why Doesn't Anyone CARE??

I know the people in the North Madison County area are upset over the Bob Wade Lane nonsense -- all the people who simply cross the road on the dirt are evidence of their frustration. So instead of helping the folks out with a simple cross over, why did the city of Huntsville & State of Alabama road crews erect a BARRICADE on Bob Wade Lane EAST at the intersection of Bob Wade Lane and Martin Luther King Blvd (Research Park Blvd extended)? A simple cross over would fix the Bob Wade Lane EAST problem and make Bob Wade and its network of roads be again the avenue of choice to go EAST-WEST where NONE NOW EXIST in North Madison County -- without a significant detour.


As a citizen I tried to reason with the Alabama decision makers and they are steadfastly devoted to their guidelines and not the people of the north Madison / north Huntsville area.

Bob Wade Lane Was a Major part of a Valued EAST WEST ROUTE

Background: Connecting the Huntsville area and north Madison, Hazel Green, Pulaski TN region and before the extension of Research Park Blvd or Martin Luther King Blvd, we had a majority of roads that went predominately north and south. Those roads included Hwy 53, Pulaski Pike, Research Park Blvd up to and continuing Hwy 53, and Memorial Parkway. All of these are extensive north - south routes which cover many many miles in either direction. For a northern Madison county east-west conduit, we had one. Bob Wade Lane and all the names that it assumed (see map). Before "PROGRESS" hit northern Huntsville, Bob Wade Lane and its other various names (Kelly Springs, Bob Wade, Countess Rd) all extended from Moores Mill Road on the EAST -- all the way to Jeff Road on the West. Now take Moores Mill south about 3 miles and one picks up Hwy 72 East all the way to Kimball, TN. And if you go ONE block south from the intersection of Kelly Springs (Bob Wade Lane -- WEST Of Hwy 53 -- again see map) & Jeff Road down to Nick Davis Rd -- one could drive all the way to Athens. Now "With Progress" and the installation of Martin Luther King BLVD, all traffic trying to go EAST on Bob Wade Lane is detoured for nearly two miles SOUTH because the state is TOO STUBBORN to cut in a cross over at Bob Wade Lane and Martin Luther King. A barricade has been placed there and motorists are required to chewup the detour, when it is clear that Bob Wade was MUCH too important to the area to be treated in this manner.

ALABAMA POLITICIANS & TRAFFIC ENGINEERS "TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!!!!"


At issue is a state guideline used by Alabama state traffic control. It depends on whether or not an intersection is a URBAN intersection (600 ft required) or an rural one (1200 feet required). You see Bob Wade Lane is 720 feet from the intersection of Pulaski Pike and now Martin Luther King Blvd (another NORTH-SOUTH travel way). All the state had to do is classified Bob Wade as "urban" by a waiver or otherwise and bingo they would put in a CROSS OVER -- of say some 100 feet of concrete. JUST 100 feet!!! Instead they are adamant about their guideline and thus NO CROSS OVER for the folks trying to travel EAST on Bob Wade lane. This action has complicated the ONLY major east-west network of roads because in their "ENGINEERING WISDOM" since they wanted to use what WAS LEFT OF BOB Wade Lane to allow Martin Luther King Blvd (north-south venue now) to connect to another north-south venue -- Memorial Parkway.

I have tried to work this issue at the local Huntsville level (Dennis Thompson - 256-427-6850) and then at the state in Guntersville with a Mr. Kerry Nesmith (256-582-2254) and Mr. Ralph Latham(256-582-2254) concerning some traffic flow insanity. My efforts to persuade the state fell on deaf ears. I am still puzzled. Why have traffic engineers -- while trying to make "PROGRESS" PUNISH THE PEOPLE living in the area of change?? If you think this is an isolated incident w.r.t. Research Park Blvd extended -- think again after you read this post:

http://35806takeaction.blogspot.com/ . Alabama traffic engineers, when trying to make improvements are HURTING THE local folks directly affected. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO DO NO HARM -- GUYS??? It is NO WONDER TO ME WHY YOU GUYS NEVER BECAME ROCKET SCIENTISTS or MISSILE DEFENSE ENGINEERS -- WE (my class of engineers) MADE HUNTSVILLE famous and not your lazy brand of "EASY WAY OUT engineering".

I am ashamed to be classified in a general way, with your handiwork. THIS IS NOT ENGINEERING --- IT IS CONCRETE DIPPING Drivel. No wonder you wear hard hats -- it is to prevent your heads from cracking newly laid asphalt after drying.

The harding working folks in Madison County AL have brought fame and prestige to Huntsville over the last half century. Why cant you guys GET OUT OF OUR way and give us REAL HIGHWAY PROGRESS and not the politically correct / cheap and easy version??

Cut in the overpassess and the cross-0vers on Martin Luther King Blvd where you promised and where they are needed --we the taxpayers are paying the BILLS ANYWAY!!!!!!!

My Contact Data is
R. Hooser
tnrustic@yahoo.com