Alabama State Route 17

Infobox road
state=AL
type=AL
route=17
length_mi=340
length_ref= [ [http://colepages.com/routes125.html Highway Route Info Routes 1 - 25 ] ]
length_round=
established=
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=
junction=
ending_terminus=
previous_route=16
next_route=18

State Route 17, or SR-17, is a 340-mile long state route that runs the virtual length of the state. Between Mobile and Deer Park in Washington County, SR-17 is the unsigned partner route assigned to U.S. Highway 45, and from Hamilton to Florence, it serves as the signed partner route assigned to U.S. Highway 43.

Route description

The southern terminus of SR-17 and US-45 is at their junction with U.S. Highway 98 and unsigned State Route 42 in Mobile. US-45 and SR-17 assume a northwestwardly trajectory as they leave Mobile heading towards the Mississippi state line. Approximately five miles north of an interchange with Interstate 65 northwest of downtown Mobile, the routes quickly enter rural areas of Mobile County via a two-lane highway. Near the small community of Deer Park in southern Washington County, SR-17 diverts from US-45 and becomes a signed route.

After the split from US-45, SR-17 assumes a general northerly orientation as it passes through rural areas and small towns in western Alabama. The route passes through the Black Belt, historically one of the poorer areas of the state. After leaving Mobile, the route does not pass through any towns whose population exceeds 5,000 until it approaches Hamilton in Marion County. At Hamilton, SR-17 once again becomes an unsigned route upon the second junction it has with U.S. Highway 43; US-45 and SR-17 are the southern terminus of US-43 in Mobile.

Between Hamilton and Muscle Shoals, SR-17 is a signed route. At Muscle Shoals, US-43, SR-17 and SR-13 junction with U.S. Highway 72 and several other state routes. At this point, SR-17 once again becomes a signed route as it leads through Muscle Shoals and Florence as it heads towards its northern terminus at the Tennessee state line, where it becomes Tennessee State Route 13.

History

State Route 17 was designated in 1940 between Kennedy and York. In 1952, the route was extended south to Mobile; from York to Deer Park State Route 29 was renumbered as part of SR-17, and from Deer Park to Mobile the route ran together with U.S. Route 45. SR-17 was extended north to the Tennessee state line in 1956. To accomplish this, SR-17 replaced old State Route 19 up to Hamilton, was co-signed with U.S. Route 43 up to Florence, and replaced old State Route 34 the rest of the way to the Tennessee state line.

Counties traversed

*Mobile County
*Washington County
*Choctaw County
*Sumter County
*Pickens County
*Lamar County
*Marion County
*Franklin County
*Colbert County
*Lauderdale County

Cities and towns along the route

*Mobile
*Chatom
*Butler
*York
*Aliceville
*Reform
*Vernon
*Hamilton
*Hackleburg
*Russellville
*Muscle Shoals
*Florence

Major intersections

*U.S. Highway 98 and unsigned State Route 42 at Mobile
*U.S. Highway 43 and unsigned State Route 13 at Mobile
*State Route 56 at Chatom
*U.S. Highway 84 and unsigned State Route 12 at Silas
*State Route 10 at Butler
*U.S. Highway 80 and unsigned State Route 8 south of York
*U.S. Highway 11 and unsigned State Route 7 at York
*Interstate 20/59 at York
*State Route 28 at Emelle
*State Route 116 near Geiger
*State Route 32 at Cochrane
*State Route 14 at Aliceville
*State Route 86 at Carrollton
*U.S. Highway 82 and unsigned State Route 6 at Reform
*State Route 96 at Kennedy, beginning a concurrency that continues until the routes split at Millport
*State Route 18 at Vernon
*U.S. Highway 278 and unsigned State Route 118 at Sulligent
*State Route 19 at Detroit
*Future Interstate 22/U.S. Highway 78 at Hamilton
*U.S. Highway 43 and State Route 74 at Hamilton
*State Route 13 south of Russellville. US-43 and State Routes 13 and 17 are co-routed as they lead north from this junction towards Muscle Shoals
*U.S. Highway 72 and unsigned State Route 2, Alternate U.S. Highway 72, State Route 20 and State Route 157 at Muscle Shoals. US-72 and State Routes 2 and 20 join the concurrency with US-43 and SR-13 and 17 as they lead across the Tennessee River into Florence.

References