Existed: 1966 – present Constructed 1966 | Length 9.5 km | |
South end: 6th Avenue(US 31)
Point Mallard Parkway
In Decatur North end: Wheeler Avenue
Alternate U.S. 72/S.R. 20
Wheeler Avenue
in Decatur | ||
The Beltline is a western bypass located completely within the city limits of Decatur, Alabama. It was built as an extension of Alabama State Route 67, and is the northern terminating end of the highway. It is currently the second most heavily traveled roadway in the Decatur Metropolitan Area.
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Built in 1966 to relieve major traffic congestion on 6th Avenue (US 31), which runs down the eastern portion of the city, and serves the northeastern and southeastern regions of town. In providing this "relief", the bypass created problems of its own.
History
The Beltline has seen many expansions, upgrades, and improvements since its initial construction. When it was constructed, the city of Decatur had very few businesses in western Decatur, in the part of town called Austinville.
The Four Regions
In the 1960s, there were no SE, NE, NW, or SW regions of town to speak of. However, today, most people identify with one of the four regions. Since the two halves of town, East and West, have slightly different cultures, most people "cross town" do not know where a certain street may be. This, though, is fixed by saying which region of town one is from. Most local residents use this sort of geographical identification.
The reason these four regions exist is because of The Beltline. Southeast and Northeast Decatur already existed as parts of town, but were simply thought of as one, as there was a much lower population at that time in the West. Southwest consists mostly of the area bordered by 6th Avenue (US 31), 14th Street W, and Moadus Road (which connects The Beltline and Danville Road). Northwest is bordered by Moadus Road, Central Parkway, and 14th Street W.
"Operation Death Trap"
Operation Death Trap was a campaign that began in 1974 to support and expansion of the roadway that was meant to be a revolution in traffic improvement in the city of Decatur. As the bypass was only two lanes at the time, the highway could not support the traffic being forced upon it. Increasing traffic rates had been caused by a rapid expansion of population and business in the western regions of town.
In the year of 1974, insurance agents in the Decatur Area dubbed The Beltline the most hazardous road in the city.
Because of the Operation Death Trap campaign, in 1978, the state of Alabama granted the city $3.1 Million to fund and expansion of the bypass to its current 4 lanes.
1999 Expansion Talks
After plans for an "outer Beltline" toll road fell through in 1997, talks of expanding The Beltline to a 50% larger 6 lanes began. More increases in traffic due to a continuously growing population and expanding commercial areas strained the thoroughfare's traffic capacity to dangerous levels.
The Decatur Planning Commission proposed the 6 laning, including entrance and exit control along the route. But businesses protested this, saying that decreasing entry and exit points along the road would lead to reduced profits. The council backed away from the ideas.
Progress
In 2005 the State Department of Transportation announced that difficult engineering problems led to delays in progress in expansion. Also in the same year, Governor Bob Riley announced that expansion of the road would begin in the spring of 2006.
On November 30, 2006, Bob Riley approved a construction contract for the construction along the Beltline to begin in the spring of 2007.
The construction schedule of the 5.9 mile stretch of highways is set into three phases. The first, and most heavily traveled, of those three extends from Danville Road SW, to Old Moulton Road, near SR 24. The second extends from SR 24 to Alternate US 72 / SR 20. The third, and most difficult, stretches from Danville Road SW, to 6th Avenue (US 31).
Construction finally began on the first phase, expected to take 18 months to complete, on March 20, 2007.