Taking aim at arsenal traffic

A new I-565 interchange is moving forward near Rideout Road.

Why it matters: Officials hope Resolute Way, the new connection from Interstate 565 to Redstone Gateway, will help alleviate arsenal traffic bottlenecks.

Zoom in: On Nov. 20, Huntsville City Council approved preliminary engineering and construction agreements to begin work along the corridor that the city says sees more than 140,000 vehicles per day.

• The $11.5 million cost will be split 80-20, with federal funds through the Metropolitan Planning Organization covering $9.2 million and Huntsville's 2014 capital plan covering $2.3 million.
• It's broken down into two phases, said Shane Davis, director of urban and economic development, starting with at-grade work. Phase two will be the connector bridge at I-565.

What they're saying: "We've been talking about this for years, and for years I've been asking to see some sort of schematics," said District 5 Council member John Meredith, in whose district the project will be.

• "It's hard for me to support something where I don't know what this is going to look like," he said, ultimately abstaining from the vote to approve the contract.
• Davis said those details would likely come in the first quarter of 2026 as this agreement kicks off the process.

Old Big Cove Road, in southeast Huntsville, is getting an almost $25 million makeover, from Claudia Drive to Taylor Road, including new sidewalks and bike lanes.

The Orion Amphitheater, and MidCity at large, is getting a parking deck.

• The council approved almost $130,000 on engineering and about $985,000 on architectural services for a new, 923-space parking deck, set for a late 2027 or early 2028 completion.

Along Bailey Cove Road, the city is spending $1.83 million, with the help of an $800,000 grant, on a new 12-foot-wide multi-use path.

• It will run alongside Bailey Cove, starting at Weatherly Road and running north to Four Mile Post Road, where it will turn west and continue to Jones Family Park.