The Big Picure: Your Study. Your Vision. Your Plan for the City of Huntsville

Growth Issue: The Transportation Network


Huntsville’s extensive road network continues to serve the region very well – commute times are among the lowest of comparable metro areas – but as development patterns, demographics, and funding mechanisms change, the region’s transportation network will face new challenges.

(Image credit: al.com)

The Shrinking Dollar. Federal and State transportation money is getting harder to find, meaning that communities like Huntsville are becoming more creative as they build and improve their networks.

Smarter Traffic. Intelligent traffic signals react to demand and actively control the flow of vehicles in real time.

Choice is Vital. There are three keys to creating and maintaining a high-functioning traffic network: Choices for the modes you take, choices for the routes you take, and choices for where you start and end your journey.

The Future of Transit. We know the demand is out there, from new workers to seniors. The challenge lies in how to provide cost-effective and meaningful transit for the users that desire it. The expense of rail makes it almost prohibitive, but hybrid approaches like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT – bus routes that have dedicated lanes and rail-style fare gates) and hand-held route tracking apps can make modern transit more sustainable, more comfortable, and more efficient. Even if transit isn’t implemented for another decade – or more – the time to plan for it is NOW.

Average Commute Times: Huntsville vs. Peer Cities, 2014


Last modified: November 20th, 2018 at 2:58 pm