New 280 plan announced

A new multi-million dollar plan to reduce average drive times down Highway 280 is ready for scrutiny, and the announcement of a public hearing on the plan should be expected within the week.

At the regular luncheon of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 11, Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Director John Cooper said the plan focuses on improving the existing Highway 280. A key element to achieving that goal involves adapting traffic signal cycles to serve the needs of those on 280 rather than those entering or exiting the highway.

Cooper told the audience there are 24 traffic signals between the intersections of Hollywood Boulevard, located less than a mile past the Red Mountain Expressway interchange, and Doug Baker Boulevard, which runs through the Lee Branch shopping center, and each has an average cycle of 170 seconds. Of that cycle, drivers on connecting roads and in turn lanes are afforded an average of more than 100 seconds.

“We intend to fundamentally reverse that ratio,” he said.

In addition, Cooper said the plan will change access to some residential and commercial centers along the highway where some traffic signals will be removed and replaced with turn-only lanes in the center of the highway.

“Our goal is to shorten a driver’s trip down by three to five minutes,” Cooper said. “I believe this will cost $12-$15 million, and we’ll be able to take it to bid by April and have it done by November 2013.”