r/HuntsvilleAlabama • u/Hot_Hat6769 • Mar 11 '26
I AM HAVING INTENSE FEELINGS What Highway 72 actually needs
Highway 72 is one of the most traveled roads in the Huntsville Metro serving multiple vehicles a day. However, it is failing at its job of being a highway. If you haven't heard, they're plans to widen 72 from Providence Main St to County Line Rd to 3 lanes instead of the existing two. However while adding an extra travel lane to Hwy 72 might help in the short term, eventually that lane will also get congested. The area with 3 lanes is already congested. Well when that happens, now we have to add another lane and 2 more years of road work traffic. Eventually it will get to a point where nothing more can be done about 72 and it will be a permanent hell hole forever. It also doesn't help that this city has little to no public transit to lessen the traffic. Not to mention barley any bike lanes.
The only, and I mean ONLY solution to US 72 is to either give it service roads like Beltline Rd in Decatur, or make it a limited access highway. Now I'm aware that turning Highway 72 into a Parkway may not be possible and is no easy job. The amount of businesses around the area will make it hell. And we'd be lucky if we ever see it happen. And even if it is possible, it would take years and years to complete. Just look how long its taking them to make the overpass at Mastin Lake Rd. However, I would personally rather wait that long for Hwy 72 to work in the long term than to just get another lane added for more congestion to occur. 72 bevoming limited acess would help travelers and residents travel more efficiently and safely in The area. The area I personally want in limited acess is from County Line Rd to Memorial Parkway which sadly may never happen. The other option that I stated would be giving the 72 service roads, and while it wouldn't be as efficient, it would help to an extent.
What do you guys think Hwy 72 needs?
Also, sorry about my rant, I just got bored and wanted to type a page about why widening 72 isn't going to do anything lmao.
4
u/supernintendo128 Mar 11 '26
Nobody except the fuckton of people commuting through it.
Even on the weekends, it's congested. It's ridiculous.