By Staff
Highway 72 widening eyed
Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
Madison County District 4 Commissioner Dale Strong said new turn lanes and a traffic signal are being planned for the Jeff Road and Douglas Road intersection in Monrovia.
Strong said he'd also like to see U.S. Highway 72 widened from west Huntsville, through Madison to County Line Road.
Strong said the Jeff Road and Douglas Road intersection is one of the most congested intersections in the county and it's time to relieve the problem in the same manner recently done at Wall-Triana Highway and Capshaw Road. There, turn lanes on all four sides of the intersection were added, along with turn signals.
"That work was the best $400,000 spent in Madison County and we're looking to do the same thing at Douglas Road and Jeff Road," Strong said. "We're in the process of land acquisition at this time to widen the intersection and to accommodate the new turn lanes."
The intersection is located north of Monrovia Middle School, just south of Nick Davis Road. Strong said having three schools located on Jeff Road and with the continued growth of the Monrovia area, heavy traffic flows north and south on Jeff Road throughout the day, but especially during the morning and evening rush hours.
Strong said he would like to see all governing bodies in Madison County and in the state come together to plan the widening of U.S. Highway 72 from Indian Creek Road in Huntsville west through Madison to County Line Road.
"We're already moving along with the widening of Highway 72 from where University Drive in Huntsville goes from six lanes back down to four lanes near Target to Indian Creek Road," Strong said. "What I'd like to see happen is a continuation of that to extend all the way through Madison to County Line Road."
Strong said it would be very important for all governing bodies to work together in getting that plan into reality.
"As everyone knows, a considerable amount of traffic flows along Highway 72 in Madison County and we need to widen this roadway," Strong said. "It makes good economic sense to do it."
To date, no plans have been drawn for the proposed widening project.