280 traffic: What you think
Village Living polled 102 Mountain Brook residents about their thoughts on how U.S. 280 traffic is flowing now that ALDOT’s intersection improvements have been completed. Overall, the feedback shows traffic is moving faster, but there is a split in opinions regarding how it affects each intersection.
What You Said: Satisfied
“Traffic does move faster, but when you need to turn off of 280, you have to be ready to understand the changes. Overall it is much better.”
“I drive from the Mountain Brook Village area to I-459 multiple times per week. The changes have cut five minutes off my drive. I think it’s great. The only problem is coming back on 280 westbound. The Whole Foods intersection causes back ups almost to Dolly Ridge in the afternoons. Otherwise, it’s a huge improvement. Thanks for putting up with all the criticism. People don’t like change, especially in their neighborhood.”
“It is significantly better than before. I make a lot of business-related trips during the workday to the south 280 corridor, and these changes have greatly improved my efficiency.”
“Getting to The Summit from Mountain Brook Village area is so much better and quicker!”
“I have intentionally traveled down 280 (east) at 5 p.m. when before I would have changed plans.”
“Overall it is very positive. I live in Brookwood Forest and have found that traffic is moving much faster.”
What You Said: Unsatisfied
“I avoid 280 completely. I even tell businesses on 280 that I will no longer be able to shop there because I can no longer safely and easily access 280.”
“My travel time has increased by at least five minutes as I live off Overton, and the Overton turn signal wait times are too long.”
“I stayed away from 280 most of the time anyway and will certainly continue to do so! Their changes have caused some seriously dangerous traffic problems!”
“Rather than risk my life, I’m choosing to find alternate routes or alternate destinations than the stores along 280. I will not put my life at risk. I have also noticed that people are driving very fast on 280. People on average are going 65 instead of 45.”
“I’m dismayed by the increase of traffic on local, neighborhood roads as a result of these changes. I would imagine that the wear and tear on Mountain Brook local roads would be increased due to commuter traffic.”
“Rush hour is still terrible. The light changes have shifted traffic problems, but not alleviated them.”
How You Rate Satisfaction by Intersection
Mountain Brook Plaza
55.1% satisfied
“It is not ideal, but if you have to reach middle ground on the entire proposal, I would say that losing that one light has had minimal impact.”
“It doesn’t bother me quite as much because I typically go into Mountain Brook Plaza the back way. The last time I was there, though, it seemed as if business was way down.”
“I would like changes so people aren’t making illegal left turns out of Wendy’s shopping center onto 280...scary.”
Office Park
63.3% satisfied
“I’ve noticed no difference at this light. I don’t see how eliminating one 15-second access point makes any difference — oh wait, it hasn’t!”
“This didn’t affect me at all.”
“I can’t see that it hurts or helps 280 traffic. It just inconveniences Office Park workers and passers through.”
Lakeshore Merge Lane
85.1% satisfied
“This was much needed. Now people do not have to try to immediately merge onto 280 from Lakeshore Drive.”
“If people would get a clue and use it and not plow over like their lane is ending, maybe with signage like ‘you don’t have to merge right away,’ it might be helpful. I see lots of out-of-town, out-of-state tags, and elderly [persons] driving in rush hour are a major part of the problem. And oh, those text-and-driving-oblivious people are a problem, too.”
Cherokee Road
47% satisfied
“Crossing five lanes of traffic is nerve-wracking and frightening! And again, there is I a light there stopping traffic, so this dangerous new route saves a whopping 12 seconds every 3 minutes.”
“I have friends on the [Birmingham] Water Works side of Cherokee, and you cannot get to their houses easily anymore. It’s truly a pain to get there. They should not allow people to turn left onto Cherokee from 280 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. That’s where a lot of the traffic starts.”
“It’s great that the outbound traffic doesn’t have to stop on that steep hill and slowly start up again.”
“I’m sure it is annoying for homeowners on either side, but eliminating that light really did help! (And having to U-turn just down the road isn’t too much of an inconvenience.)”
Overton Road
50% satisfied
“I often wait at the red light on 280 when turning onto Overton Road. When there is no traffic coming, I am not able to turn left. I must wait at the light when I could have turned left before the light.”
“U-turning into on-coming Overton traffic is unnerving and unsafe.”
“I live off Overton. I have literally seen one car make it through the light before it turned yellow. This adds so much more time to my drive from Mountain Brook Elementary. There was not a need for a light at Overton, period.”
Green Valley Road/Cahaba Village
65.6% satisfied
“When traffic flow isn’t heavy, it’s okay. I haven’t driven it at rush hour.
I would imagine that could be awful.”
“My teenage driver may be my age before I allow him to get on 280 eastbound at this intersection.”
“Perhaps it would work if drivers used it as intended. Instead, it makes merging difficult and rushed.”