Traffic Alert: Lane Closures on Chantilly Parkway Begin Soon

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) would like to advise the traveling public of evening lane closures on Chantilly Parkway beginning the week of September 6.

During construction, lane closures will not occur during peak hours.  Lane closures will only take place from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Friday.

With up to 40,000 vehicles traveling this corridor daily, changes are needed to move traffic more efficiently. Some of the new safety features to be installed are similar to those added last year at the intersection of Taylor Road and Eastchase Parkway.

The Changes

• Adding a second left turn lane from Technacenter Drive onto Atlanta Highway,
• Extending length of the lane of traffic queuing to turn left to enter Interstate 85 South,
• Adding a service road from Burger King to Alabama Highway 126,
• Alabama Highway 126 accessed with right turn only from Chantilly Parkway,
• Concrete curbing will be added at the Chantilly and Boyd Cooper Parkway intersection so that only vehicles exiting from I-85 North can take a right onto Boyd Cooper Parkway. Vehicles traveling from Atlanta Highway will access Boyd Cooper Parkway by taking a right onto Eastchase Parkway, and
• Adding a protected U-turn under signalization (indirect left) at Eastchase Parkway.

Adding an indirect left turn is designed to keep traffic flowing. Instead of making a left turn onto the Atlanta Highway from Boyd Cooper Parkway, vehicles will take a right and continue to Eastchase Parkway. There will be a traffic signal at the intersection of Eastchase Parkway to stop oncoming traffic so that motorists can make a protected U-turn to access Atlanta Highway. Vehicles traveling from the Atlanta Highway will need to make the same protected U-turn at Eastchase Parkway to access Alabama Highway 126.

Additional pavement will be added at Eastchase Parkway for vehicles to successfully complete the U-turn.

Indirect lefts have been installed throughout the country, including U.S. Hwy 280 in Birmingham.  In North Carolina, there has been an approximately 31 percent reduction in all crashes and 51 percent reduction in fatal/injury crashes where indirect lefts have been installed. Intersections with indirect lefts have less congestion, as they provide 20 to 50 percent greater capacity than direct left-turns. They reduce average delays incurred by left-turning vehicles and through-traffic.

Construction began in June with crews working off the roadway.  As of the end of August crews have completed a culvert extension, as well as, grading for the U-turn bulb, service road, and right turn lanes from Chantilly Parkway onto Alabama Highway 126.

ALDOT awarded the state funded project to Wiregrass Construction Co., Inc. of Dothan, at a cost of $2.94 million with 90 working days.  The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2016.

ALDOT’s mission is to provide a safe, efficient, environmentally and economically sound transportation network across Alabama. For further information, visit www.dot.state.al.us.