Corridor X Task Force Minutes

Chairperson Steve Foshee of Marion County opened the meeting, welcomed everyone, especially those individuals who traveled from Mississippi and Tennessee, to the Bevill Business and Community Center and welcomed and introduced the President of Bevill State Community College, Dr. Harold Wade.

Dr Wade welcomed everyone to the Bevill Business and Community Center on the Campus of Bevill State Community College in Hamilton. The college has a long history of serving the community and preparing the workforce of the future and is very pleased to be able to contribute to the efforts of the Corridor Task Force

Steve Foshee also introduced fellow Chairperson Bob Forbus of Walker County and asked all attendees to introduce themselves. Mr. Foshee requested approval of the minutes from the June 5, 2003 Task Force meeting. Motion by Barry Copeland to approve the minutes, Mayor Getz seconded, all voted in favor and the minutes were approved.

Steve Ostaseski made a presentation on Interstate Designation and the related Federal Legislation that is clearing the way for the Corridor to be designated I-22. Barry Copeland with the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce suggested the Task Force express gratitude to members of the federal legislative delegation who supported the Task Force with the Management and Development Plan and in working to get interstate designation for the Corridor. A motion was made by Chairman Foshee to draft a resolution commending U.S. Representatives and Senators for supporting interstate designation. Mayor Seagraves seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was approved.

Mr. Ostaseski continued with the presentation and discussed the Corridorâ€™s completion schedule. ALDOT and MSDOT representatives contributed to the discussion. Mr. Ostaseski then provided an overview of the Management and Development Plan and presented information on Access Management. Access Management works to provide access to land development while preserving the flow of traffic on the surrounding road system in terms of safety, capacity and speed. There are 17 interchanges from the Mississippi State line to Birmingham, 11 of the roadways that intersect with the Corridor are state roadways and six are county roadways. The Management and Development Plan calls for an operational analysis for the interchange areas to examine access management of the roads connecting to the interchanges.

The Corridor X Parkway Authority was recently passed by the State Legislature and gives Walker County zoning authority within one mile of Corridor X interchanges and within one-half mile along the Corridor. This bill facilitates the goals of the Management and Development Plan and gives the county the tools to implement access management techniques. The bill will go before a vote of the people of Walker County in June 2004.

Mr. Ostaseski reported that the subcommittee decided not to immediately pursue an application for Scenic By-way Designation, but will continue to collect data and research the historic significance of the Corridor for any future scenic by-way efforts.

Mr. Ostaseski reminded everyone that all data obtained in support of the Management and Development Plan is considered public domain and available to everyone. For example, the Task Force is in the process of obtaining satellite imagery for the Corridor X buffer area. The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham will be developing and will make available for distribution model zoning ordinances, access management techniques, sign regulation materials and other planning resources.

The Task Force Technical Committee will meet on November 6, 2003 in Winfield, AL and the next meeting of the Task Force will be on January 8, 2004 at a time and location TBD.