Interstate 65 in Alabama

Infobox road
state=AL
type=I
route=65
maint=Alabama DOT

---

length_mi=367
length_round=2
length_ref=Fact|date=July 2008
direction_a=South
terminus_a=Jct|state=AL|I|10 in Mobile
junction=Jct|state=AL|I|165 in Prichard
Jct|state=AL|I|85 in Montgomery
Jct|state=AL|I|459 in Hoover
Jct|state=AL|I|20|I|59 in Birmingham
Jct|state=AL|I|565|US-Alt|72|dab2=Decatur in Decatur
direction_b=North
terminus_b=Jct|state=TN|I|65 at Tennessee state line
previous_type=AL
previous_route=64
next_type=AL
next_route=65

Interstate 65, beginning in Mobile at an interchange with Interstate 10, meanders across convert|367|mi|km of the Alabama countryside linking 6 of the states 10 largest cities. The highway links together many vital roadways that make commerce inside and outside of the state's boundaries possible. The interstate finally exits at the Alabama/Tennessee state line, north of Athens.

Route description

I-65 starts in Mobile at Interstate 10, not far from the Gulf of Mexico. From there it runs northeast, intersecting with Interstate 165 in Prichard, Alabama and crossing the Mobile River delta at the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge. En route to Montgomery, it passes county seats Evergreen (Conecuh County) and Greenville (Butler County). At Montgomery, it intersects the southern terminus of Interstate 85 and crosses the Alabama River north of the city.

At Chilton County, I-65 enters the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman Combined Statistical Area. Approximately halfway between Montgomery and Birmingham, it passes Clanton (Chilton County seat), where the water tower, visible from the road, is shaped and painted to resemble a huge peach.

From mile marker 246 to 290 I-65 carries at least 6 lanes of traffic. I-65 intersects Interstate 459 in Hoover, then passes through the cities of Vestavia Hills and Homewood, which often generate heavy traffic. As the interstate passes by downtown Birmingham, south-bound travelers have a view of the Vulcan statue atop Red Mountain. At the north edge of downtown, I-65 intersects Interstates 20 and 59 with a cross-over interchange, often called Malfunction Junction.

North of Birmingham, I-65 performs a unique scrape-intersection with US-31. The incomplete Interstate 22 from Memphis, Tennessee is expected to intersect there with the most expensive interchange in Alabama history, consisting of approximately 14 bridges. The interstate then continues convert|98|mi|km in the general direction of Huntsville, passing the city of Cullman on the way. After entering the Decatur Metropolitan Area, in southern Morgan County, the interstate passes Decatur. The highway connects the Decatur and Huntsville Metropolitan Areas as it crosses Wheeler Lake (Tennessee River) on a convert|2.6|mi|km|sing=on bridge. The interstate emerges again into the fringes of Decatur, in an open area of seemingly "endless" cotton fields where it intersects, inside Decatur, with Alabama 20 , Alternate 72, and the spur-route, Interstate 565 to Huntsville.

Between Walkers Chapel Road in Fultondale and the Tennessee River in Decatur (Limestone County), I-65 has been designated the "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway". The sign designating the north end of this portion of road cites Reagan's speech in Decatur on July 4, 1984. The interstate then continues towards the state line, passing Athens and intersecting with U.S. Highway 72. At the state line, the southbound lanes receive a welcome center, complete with a Saturn I rocket.

In the Birmingham/Hoover vicinity, a plan to widen the interstate from North Birmingham to Alabaster has been proposed. The project is to widen the interstate by adding a HOV lane and keeping the original 3 lanes making it four lanes in each direction. This is planned to stretch to the Pelham area. From there on the interstate will widen from 2 lanes each way to 3 lanes each way into the Helena/Alabaster area.

Exit list

References