Evacuation times

[mtm4319]

...approximately how long would it take to traverse the state from Mobile to Birmingham (or Huntsville) up I-65? We're thinking about leaving either late tonight or early tomorrow morning. The aim is to get to either B'ham or Huntsville by the 2pm check-in date on Wednesday. I assume delays, but how much? Thanks.

[MiaMom]

Someone posted last night that it takes four times as long to drive during an evacuation. I certainly found that to be the case during hurricane Andrew, and would plan on at least four times as long.

[mtm4319]

Even with I-65 opening all four lanes northbound?

[betsy65freddy79]

mtm from my memory it normally takes 4 1/2 - 5 hours to get from Mobile to B'ham. My family is evacuating from Fairhope THIS MORNING and still expect to run into problems going up to Meridian. Remember, you have everyone from possibly Biloxi to P'cola heading north on only a few main arteries. Get going now - and stay safe - to all of you from my hometown!!

[Brent]

Mobile to Birmingham on a GOOD DAY is about 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Huntsville is another hour from Birmingham.

[alicia-w]

we made it from Niceville FL to birmingham in about 5 hours. we left yesterday at 1100 BUT we had to go all the way to Sevierville TN. NO HOTEL ROOMS available in Montgomery or Birmingham unless you already made a reservation. What a day. I still have a headache. Waiting for my husband to get in the truck and bring the dogs up here today....Best of luck to all of us.

[PrincessTiger]

I travel the state quite extensively.

I live in Birmingham.
It takes ~4 hours to get to Mobile.
It takes ~5 hrs to get to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.
It takes ~1.5 hours to get from Birmingham to Huntsville. (~100 miles).

I have not heard of any changes to I-65 yet today and the DOT has not posted anything.

I have NO idea how long it will take in a mandatory evacuation, but I'd sure get an early start.

PT

[Lindaloo]

I just wanted to let you all know that in Evergreen, AL, 65 floods. So before you leave to come back to the coast you need to check and see if 65 is clear. I will be in LaGrange, GA. So, I will be in the same boat if 65 floods.

[Brent]

Drive safe folks. Their expecting Ivan to come up here after landfall.

[Lindaloo]

Drive safe folks. Their expecting Ivan to come up here after landfall.

Yeah, I knew I wasn't going to get off that easy.

[Brent]

Drive safe folks. Their expecting Ivan to come up here after landfall.

Yeah, I knew I wasn't going to get off that easy.

Alabama Power has told residents south of here in rural areas to prepare for power outages that could last 2 weeks.

Ugh... and the Survivor premiere is Thursday Night too.

[Lindaloo]

Well BOO!!

Alot of our linemen are down in Florida. I heard Mike Watkins say in teamspeak the other night that traffic was snarled down in Florida because of MS Power trucks. He assumed they were heading back home. Gotta love these guys and the work they do.

[Byrd]

We're in Demopolis and remember Frederic all too well--lots of trees down in our yard, and several days without power. We still laugh about making coffee in the chafing dish!

I hope we can laugh about something after Ivan...
Byrd

[Brent]

Well BOO!!

Alot of our linemen are down in Florida. I heard Mike Watkins say in teamspeak the other night that traffic was snarled down in Florida because of MS Power trucks. He assumed they were heading back home. Gotta love these guys and the work they do.

Don't get me wrong... I live in the city, so outages here won't be as long(hopefully there won't even be one), but I don't blame the power guys for it.

[therock1811]

we made it from Niceville FL to birmingham in about 5 hours. we left yesterday at 1100 BUT we had to go all the way to Sevierville TN. NO HOTEL ROOMS available in Montgomery or Birmingham unless you already made a reservation. What a day. I still have a headache. Waiting for my husband to get in the truck and bring the dogs up here today....Best of luck to all of us.

Sevierville may not be too safe either...they expect heavy rains there and serious flooding could occur...

[ZZ3Astro]

My wife is on 65N just below Birmingham (11am Tues). She said she is able to run about 65-75 mph most of the way, tons of traffic but running pretty smooth other than the occassional person running 55 and bottlenecking traffic. No problems finding gas there on the exits.

She has seen two accidents north bound between Mongomery and Pelham.


steve

[Josephine96]

I don't think I've ever heard of people talking this much about evac's from Alabama..

I guess you guys don't get storms as much as we do..

[Lindaloo]

Well BOO!!

Alot of our linemen are down in Florida. I heard Mike Watkins say in teamspeak the other night that traffic was snarled down in Florida because of MS Power trucks. He assumed they were heading back home. Gotta love these guys and the work they do.

Don't get me wrong... I live in the city, so outages here won't be as long(hopefully there won't even be one), but I don't blame the power guys for it.

I guess I may be lucky. I am on the same lines as Singing River Hospital. They usually have power back first. Although the cable company here stinks to high heaven. I have cable connection and even though I will have power that does not mean I will have cable back as soon. Which means I may be down from the net for a while.

Bellsouth is not much better. I have a phone line running right through a pecan tree. I have called them several times to come re-locate that line and it is still there. So if that tree goes, so will my phone line.

[jwelch5]

Josephine96, Alabama has a much smaller coastline than Florida. Percentage wise, similar strike probability.

[betsy65freddy79]

From my memory, Mobile has had tropical storm force/hurricane force winds from Camille, Frederic, Elena, Opal, Danny, Lili(?) in the more recent past. Also had a few bad hurricanes hit in the 1920's. For such a small coastline, it's seen it's share. I just think a lot of people had wake-up calls after seeing what Frederic did and the thought of another Cat 3 has mobilized (no pun intended) them to evacuate. (From a former Mobilian.)