AL: Light rail? rapid transit buses? Huntsville area MPO seeks input on long-term transportation plans

Should the city of Huntsville and the Huntsville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization continue with plans for a bus rapid transit system?

Or should they do something radical and more expensive, such as pivot to light rail for the fastest growing area in the state?

And what changes need to be made to the highways and roads in the area? Should bike lanes be added and how should greenways be utilized?

If you have ideas about how to improve transportation on Huntsville’s highways or through public transit, the MPO is eager to listen.

The public is invited to provide feedback at community meetings this month as the MPO concludes work on the 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan for consideration by the organization’s policy board. These meetings are an open house format, and the public is invited to come and go at their convenience during the meeting times.

The first meeting was held on Wednesday, but two more are planned over the next two weeks.

“There is no better resource about Huntsville area roads than the people who travel them every day,” Huntsville Area MPO Manager Dennis Madsen said. “We want to hear their thoughts about what can be done to make transportation more efficient as we work to finalize a report that could make some of those suggestions a reality. We encourage everyone to attend a meeting and share their insight.”

The public meeting schedule:

• Monday, Feb. 10: Madison Public Library, 142 Plaza Blvd., Madison, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 19: South Huntsville Public Library, 7901- L Bailey Cove Road, 4-6 p.m.

Public comments will be considered for the 2050 LRTP that the MPO Policy Board will vote on in March. The LRTP is a road map of transportation projects, both funded and visionary, for the next 25 years. Projects must be included in the LRTP to be eligible for state or federal funding. The plan is updated every five years.

On the public transit side, Huntsville is considering bringing a bus rapid transit system that would serve downtown, the U.S. 72 corridor, Huntsville International Airport and major manufacturers in the Greenbrier area such as Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, Amazon and Polaris.

There has also been discussions about connecting with nearby cities such as Madison, Athens and Decatur.

Both the MPO and the city have contracted with firms to help them study future transit needs. Consultant firm HDR told the MPO that bus rapid transit system lines are coming in at a tenth of the cost of light rail lines, and light rail costs are rising “exponentially.”

In some cities, light rail costs are as high as $230 million a mile. Bus projects, on the other hand, range from $3 million a to $50 million, depending on infrastructure put in, the MPO.

The area could be eligible for up to $150 million in federal funds for the bus lines.

The city of Huntsville has added Orbit bus routes and has considered extended hours after a study of short-term changes was conducted.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit al.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.