HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — If you work on Redstone Arsenal and are tired of spending part of your morning commute in traffic, we have some good news! The City of Huntsville says it is “one step closer” to bringing a new interchange to fruition.
It is planning for a new interchange that would connect drivers on Madison Blvd. and I-565 to Gate 9 via a new extension of Resolute Way. This would allow drivers coming from west of the Arsenal to bypass Exit 14 and the intersection of 255/Research Park Blvd.
“It’s a project we’ve been working on for almost five years now,” said Huntsville’s Director of Engineering, Kathy Martin.
The interchange would create a shortcut of sorts for commuters traveling west to east.
“What folks that are on Madison Blvd. or Governors West or I-565 Eastbound can do is take this new Resolute Interchange through the Redstone Gateway that would lead them closer to gate 9,” Martin said.
While plans for the new interchange are not finalized, the City of Huntsville provided News 19 with this “preliminary” look.
Resolute Way is currently a small street within the Redstone Gateway area near Gate 9 and the Redstone Arsenal Visitor’s Center. The interchange would connect to Resolute Way via a new road from the Madison Blvd./565 on-ramp.
The land where this interchange would be built is on the Arsenal and owned by the Federal Government. Back in March, the Huntsville City Council voted to move forward with a land-use agreement to start the process of obtaining that land for the project.
Martin told News 19 that this is a great step for this project. However, there is still a lot of work to be done before construction begins.
“I think the next step after the land transfer is complete is we’ll go back to the state and the feds to get some funding for design,” Martin said.
Martin said in addition to relieving some congestion from Rideout Road, it will also “improve safety.”
Martin said the Engineering Department is also working on an East Connector Project that would relieve some congestion for people who enter Redstone Arsenal at Gates 8 and 10 off of Patton Road.
She told News 19 that that project is not as far along as the Resolute Way Interchange.
“It’s not moving as quickly as this one,” she said. “Pretty much the same thing. it is going to involve quite a bit of involvement from Redstone Arsenal as well as the adjacent land owners, so we are working with them as well.”
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