HUNTSVILLE — There will be some dynamic signs on Interstate 565 in the coming months.
The overhead signs – called Dynamic Message Signs – provide drivers with real-time traffic alerts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The information is provided through cameras positioned along the interstate, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.
“The cameras will feed into our Traffic Management Center for monitoring of traffic flow and events causing congestion, which can assist us in messaging for the boards,” said Seth Burkett, the ALDOT North Region public information officer. “They will also be available to livestream on algotraffic.com or the ALGO Traffic App.”
Burkett said the work on the I-565 Intelligent Transportation System project is expected to begin in August. A $5,195,555 contract for the project was awarded last December to Stansell Electric of Nashville but, Burkett said, due to the procurement period for materials, the work won’t start for another four months.
“Once it starts, the project should take about a year,” Burkett said.
The work will include three dynamic message boards, about 10 traffic cameras, and two weather stations, in addition to fiber optic cable for the system along I-565 in Madison and Limestone counties, according to Burkett.
“Some of the existing devices are currently on wireless, so this will be a major upgrade,” Burkett said.
The weather stations provide data on road conditions for ALDOT to use in determining responses by maintenance crews and can also factor into advisories on message boards — for example, a warning about icy conditions during a winter weather event, he said.
“We already have a number of weather stations, but this project will place the first traffic cameras and overhead message boards for Madison County,” Burkett said.
The planned message board locations are:
- I-565 westbound ahead of Greenbriar interchange
- I-565 eastbound ahead of the Memorial Parkway exit
- I-565 westbound ahead of Jordan Lane exit
The planned traffic camera locations are:
- Near Mooresville Exit (mile post 1.1)
- Huntsville International Airport Exit (mile post 8)
- Town Madison (mile post 10.6)
- Madison Boulevard (mile post 13.1)
- Research Park Boulevard (mile post 14.4)
- Jordan Lane (mile post 17.1)
- Near Triana Boulevard (mile post 18.3)
- Memorial Parkway – 2 cameras (mile post 19.1)
- Oakwood Avenue – (mile post 20.7)
- Maysville Road (mile post 21.7)
The weather station locations are:
- Replacing/relocating one on eastbound I-565 to just west of the overpass bridges at mile post 18.3 (Triana Boulevard)
- Installing one at mile post 21.8 at Chapman Mountain
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our email newsletter to have all our smart stories delivered to your inbox.
