Existed: 2012 (2012) ā present States: Mississippi, Alabama AL SR 22 ā Length 342.8 km | West end: US 78 near Byhalia, MS MS MS 22 ā Constructed 2012 | |
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East end: Iā65 near Birmingham, AL | ||
Interstate 22 (I-22) is an Interstate Highway that follows the U.S. Route 78 (US 78) corridor on a 213-mile-long (343 km) route from Byhalia, Mississippi south of Memphis, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama. I-22 indirectly connects I-240, I-40, I-55, and I-69 in the northwest with I-65 and I-20/I-59 in the southeast. When designated in 2012, it was designed to close a gap in the Interstate network allowing more direct connections between cities in the southeast (such as Atlanta and Birmingham) with those of the Great Plains (such as Oklahoma City and St. Louis).
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Map of I-22, United States
Along its way through the two states, I-22 serves the towns of Jasper, Winfield, and Hamilton, Alabama and Fulton, Tupelo, New Albany, and Holly Springs, Mississippi. All portions of this highway were either built new or converted to Interstate Highway standards as of early 2011. A future interchange with I-269 near Byhalia, Mississippi is the western terminus of I-22. The eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Jefferson County, north of Birmingham.
Route description
I-22 serves as a connection between Birmingham and suburban Memphis, filling in a gap in the Interstate Highway System. It begins at future planned interchange with the proposed extension of I-269 at Byhalia approximately forty miles from downtown Memphis and travels southeast across northern Mississippi and Alabama, before ending at an interchange with I-65 approximately five miles north of downtown Birmingham. While I-22 itself does not continue past I-269 to Memphis, some theorize that an I-22 spur route may be named along the existing US 78 from I-269 northwest to the Tennessee state line, creating a better connection.
Mississippi
I-22 begins at a future planned interchange with the proposed extension of I-269 at Byhalia and travels across rural areas, connecting together towns such as Fulton, Tupelo, New Albany, and Holly Springs.
Alabama
I-22 continues across rural areas in Alabama, and connects the towns of Jasper, Winfield, and Hamilton before ending at an interchange with I-65 approximately five miles north of downtown Birmingham.
History
The concept of a Memphis-to-Birmingham expressway was discussed as early as the 1950s, but did not move beyond talk for more than 20 years.
When I-22 studies began, I-22 was proposed to continue west into downtown Memphis, Tennessee and end at Interstate 240 and Interstate 69. Several other proposals were also put in place. One took I-22 along I-269 to I-55/I-69, but those plans also never materialized. Another took it along Crump Boulevard to end at Interstate 55, however, these plans never materialized.
The part of I-22 just east of Fulton, Mississippi, was approved by Congress as "Corridor X" in 1978, as a part of the Appalachian Development Highway System, and parts of I-22 have been under construction ever since. Corridor X was also designated as "High Priority Corridor 10" in the Federal National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, and as "High Priority Corridor 45" in later legislation. Over the many years of development, the project changed multiple times.
In 2004, Corridor X was designated as Future I-22 by Public Law Number 108-199, and the designation was made official on April 18, 2005. In Alabama and Mississippi, blue signs reading "FUTURE/I-22/CORRIDOR" at left and an I-22 shield with "FUTURE" instead of "INTERSTATE" at the right were unveiled on April 18, 2005.
The first major completed section of the route between the Mississippi state line and Jasper was opened to traffic on November 22, 2005. Exits on the Jasper Bypass portion of I-22 were originally numbered using a kilometer-based sequence because at the time this stretch was opened it appeared that all highways in the U.S. were going to be measured using the metric system. The final decision was made to remain using miles, and they have been renumbered according to the highway's mileposts. A six-mile (9.7 km) segment between Graysville and Brookside was opened in June 2007, and another 20-mile (32 km) section of Future I-22 between Jasper and Graysville was opened in November 2007. A 1.8-mile (2.9 km) segment between Cherry Avenue in Forestdale to a point about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) short of I-65 near Fultondale, including an interchange with Coalburg Road, was opened in December 2009. Next came the connection of I-22 with I-65 and US 31. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) widened Coalburg Road from its interchange with I-22 southward to Daniel Payne Drive (which leads to I-65) to allow heavy trucks to use it; this project was nearly complete as of May 2015. Signs are now in place on Daniel Payne Drive (westbound) informing truckers that access to I-22 is not allowed from Daniel Payne Drive.
ALDOT was to award contracts in August 2009 for the construction of the final segment of I-22, including its large interchange with I-65 and US 31, with the construction to begin shortly afterwards. Funding delays postponed these into 2010, however. On March 19, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the HIRE (Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment) Act into law, which included an extension of federal highway funding through the end of 2010. This extension gave the ALDOT the opportunity to proceed with its plans for the construction of final segment of I-22 in Alabama. The opening of the bids for this project began on May 21, 2010. ALDOT announced on June 16, 2010, that the project has been awarded to the company Archer Western Contractors for $168.6 million. The project is the most expensive highway project ever undertaken in Jefferson County, and it is the highest-priced contract awarded by the ALDOT as of 2010.
In April 2013, the first actual Interstate 22 shields were deployed in Marion County, Alabama, immediately east of the Mississippi state line. Such signage will extend east at least through Walker County into the outskirts of Birmingham.
On August 21, 2014, ALDOT reported that I-22's interchange with I-65 would not be completed until October 2015. The interchange's connections via exit 95 to I-65 and the continuation over I-65 as exit 95C at US 31 remained under construction. In March 2016, the intersection with I-65 and continuation to US 31 was still under construction. New lanes north and south bound were opened on I-65 passing through the interchange and construction and painting operations were carried out on the I-22 entrance and exit ramps. The interchange to I-65 opened to traffic on June 20, 2016, while the connector to US 31 remained under construction.
Mississippi officials announced May 5, 2015 that the state officially began the process to designate its portion as I-22. The two requirements to be able to apply for this designation were to upgrade the route to interstate standards and to connect to an existing interstate within 25 years; this will be completed once I-269 is opened within the next couple years and the I-65 interchange is completed within the year. The route will be officially signed in Mississippi in a ceremony taking place on October 23, 2015.
Interstate 422
U.S. Congressman Spencer Bachus announced in The Birmingham News in May 2009 that the proposed Northern Beltline had been numbered as I-422. This Interstate Highway should have an interchange with I-22 near Graysville, and then continue southwest to connect with I-20/I-59, and also from I-22 eastward to connect with I-59 near Argo.
The plans for this highway call for a short spur from I-22, near mile marker 86, northward to connect with I-422. This spur has been dubbed I-222. I-422 would cross over I-22 just west of Graysville without an interchange there.
Interstate 222 (I-222) is a future Auxiliary Interstate Highway to be a connector between I-22/US 78 and the proposed I-422 near Birmingham, Alabama. There will be no exits other than its termini. The highway has been proposed because an interchange directly between I-22 and I-422 cannot be built because of environmental issues. The Interstate lineup was approved May 18, 2012. The Interstate is not planned to be built until I-422 is completed in 2054 at the latest.