Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 (Corridor X) U.S. 78 between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama represents Appalachian Regional Development Corridor X. The route is already a full freeway within the state of Mississippi and partially a freeway from the Alabama/Mississippi state line to Birmingham. Two segments of the route are limited access in Alabama. The first extends from the Mississippi segment east to Exit 30 near Winfield. The second segment begins east of Carbon Hill, extending to near Jasper. The whole route is slated to be complete in Alabama by 2008. Upon the completion of the remaining segments, it is expected that Corridor X will become Interstate 22. See Interstate 22 @ Interstate-Guide.com for construction details and more background information. U.S. 78/Future Interstate 22 east The rolling hills of Marion County set the tone for U.S. 78 & Future Interstate 22 just east of the Mississippi state line. The scenery along the 30-mile segment between the line and Winfield is quite rustic. Photo taken 09/25/03. The first Alabama interchange of Corridor X is Exit 3 with County Road 33. This north-south highway serves the village of Bexar and Shottsville. The junction is a standard diamond interchange. Photo taken 09/25/03. Four miles to the east of Bexar is Exit 7. The upcoming diamond interchange serves nearby Alabama 74 and the Marion County seat of Hamilton (pop. 6,786). The east-west state highway begins at nearby Alabama 19. Photo taken 09/25/03. Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 eastbound within the Exit 7 interchange. Alabama 19 passes by ahead, traveling 15 miles southward to Detroit (pop. 247) and 17 miles northward to the village of Vina (pop. 400). Photo taken 09/25/03. The second of four Hamilton area interchanges is Exit 11 with Alabama 17. This eastbound photograph looks at the ramp departure for the junction. Alabama 17 is a lengthy state route between Mobile far to the south and the Tennessee state line north of Florence. Photo taken 09/25/03. Descending toward the Buttahatchee River and the Exit 14 diamond interchange south of Hamilton. Photo taken 09/25/03. Eastbound at the Exit 14 ramp departure. Marion County 35, the route intersecting Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 here, travels between Henson Springs and U.S. 43. Photo taken 09/25/03. A look at the Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 spread from the Marion County 35 overpass at Exit 14. In view is the Buttahatchee River and the northwesterly rise of the freeway. Photo taken 09/25/03. One-half mile guide sign for Exit 16 with U.S. 43 & 278. These federal highways overlap between the town of Guin (pop. 2,389) eight miles to the south northward to Hamilton. The overlap totals 13 miles. Photo taken 09/25/03. Rounding the bend toward the Exit 16 interchange with U.S. 43 & 278. Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 briefly travel east-west before kinking back to the southeast. Photo taken 09/25/03. Exit 16 departs for U.S. 43 & 278. The guide sign reveals that originally only U.S. 43 was posted here. The extension of U.S. 278 west from its original terminus through Mississippi and Arkansas occurred in 1997.1 Photo taken 09/25/03. Nearing the Exit 22 diamond interchange with Marion County 44. The scenic landscape of Corridor X continues through the slow rolling hills of western Alabama. Photo taken 09/25/03. A somewhat rare usage of a County Pentagon on a freeway guide sign occurs at Exit 22. The local highway travels between U.S. 43 & 278 northeast to Alabama 253 south of Pearces Mill. Photo taken 09/25/03. Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 eastbound, one half mile out of the Exit 26 diamond interchange. Ahead Alabama 44 crosses Corridor X from Twin to the west. The east-west route concludes three miles to the east at Alabama 129. Photo taken 09/25/03. Ascending southeastward from the Alabama 44/Exit 26 interchange. Photo taken 09/25/03. Entering the final mile of the Mississippi to Winfield area segment of Future Interstate 22. This segment of freeway opened to traffic in 2001. Photo taken 09/25/03. 0.75 miles west of the freeway conclusion at Alabama 129 is this temporary ends sign. The guide sign in the background indicates the Alabama 129 control points of Brilliant (pop. 762) and Winfield (pop. 4,540). Photo taken 09/25/03. Exit 30 one-half mile guide sign for U.S. 78 and Alabama 129. Note that Birmingham, the U.S. 78 eastbound control city, is the only featured. The freeway resumes 25 miles to the east via U.S. 78 east and Alabama 129 south. Photo taken 09/25/03. A side profile of the Exit 30 guide sign at the east end of the first Corridor X freeway segment in Alabama. Temporary barriers shunt all traffic onto the folded diamond interchange off-ramp. Photo taken 09/25/03. Looking eastward at the freeway stub ending at Exit 30. Future Interstate 22 will extend to the Jasper area segment by Spring 2005. Photo taken 09/25/03. East of Carbon Hill (pop. 2,071) U.S. 78 departs its original routing for the second segment of Future Interstate 22. Alabama 118 follows the original alignment east to Alabama 5/69 and the Walker County seat of Jasper (pop. 14,052). Photo taken 09/25/03. U.S. 78 merges onto Future Interstate 22 at the Alabama 118 interchange west of Jasper. The interchange with Alabama 118 will be signed as Exit 52. Photo taken 09/25/03. At present an unsigned diamond interchange exists east of the Alabama 118 interchange of U.S. 78. This exit will eventually receive full fledged guide signs, but for now just connects to a local road. The number will be Exit 54. Photo taken 09/25/03. An unnumbered exit at present, Alabama 118 composes the second mainline interchange of Future Interstate 22 along the Jasper alignment. This will become Exit 57. Photo taken 09/25/03. Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78 eastbound at the Exit 61 diamond interchange with Alabama 69. The city of Jasper is just one mile to the east. Eight miles to the south lies the village of Oakman (pop. 944). Nearby also is the eastern terminus of Alabama 124. Photo taken 09/25/03. Alabama 269 is a 42 mile loop from Birmingham and Interstate 20-59 northwest to the city of Jasper. At Exit 63, the state route intersects Future Interstate 22/U.S. 78. The provides an alternate into the city of Birmingham from points west. Photo taken 09/25/03. The current east end of the Jasper segment of Future Interstate 22 is Exit 65. This interchange represents the departure of U.S. 78 & Alabama 4 from the freeway. The paired routes travel north along a local highway to their original alignment of the Bankhead Highway. Photo taken 09/25/03. View of the stub freeway end of Future Interstate 22 at Exit 65. The guide sign reads Industrial Parkway Road. Note also that the freeway carries six lanes from this point westward to Exit 63. Photo taken 09/25/03. Scenes Related to U.S. 78/Future Interstate 22 These special blue & white Appalachian Regional Corridor X shields are in use all along the 30-mile Mississippi to Winfield segment of Future Interstate 22. Alabama 4 is the unsigned state route counterpart for U.S. 78 across the state, but is signed well along this segment of freeway. Photo taken 09/25/03. Construction is well underway at the future Interstate 22 & Alabama 13 diamond interchange north of Eldridge. This photograph shows the future Interstate 22 eastbound ramp from Alabama 13 northbound. Photo taken 09/25/03. The overpasses that will shuttle Interstate 22 over Alabama 13 are essentially done. Photo taken on Alabama 13 northbound. Photo taken 09/25/03. The future Exit 65 eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 22 from Industrial Parkway Road. Photo taken 09/25/03. Looking to the west at the Exit 65 Industrial Parkway Road interchange from a perch high above the eastbound lanes. Photo taken 09/25/03. A local highway travels east from Industrial Parkway Road parallel to Future Interstate 22. That road is presently closed at Corridor X due to the construction of a new overpass for the roadway depicted here. Photo taken 09/25/03. A generous rock cut for these parts of the Appalachian Piedmont is evident along Future Interstate 22 between Exit 65 and the overpass depicted above. Photo taken 09/25/03. Industrial Parkway Road northbound at the eventual full diamond interchange of Future Interstate 22/Exit 65. Photo taken 09/25/03. This eastward scene looks at the future westbound off-ramp of Interstate 22 onto Industrial Parkway Road at Exit 65. Photo taken 09/25/03. U.S. 78 and Alabama 5 cross paths with the Future Interstate 22 north of the town of Graysville (pop. 2,344). This view looks from the U.S. 78 & Alabama 5 westbound overpass at the future partial cloverleaf interchange. Photo taken 09/25/03. Westward view of the future Interstate 22 travel lanes from the same U.S. 78 and Alabama 5 overpass depicted above. The eventual Exit 85 interchange will feature U.S. 78 westbound to I-22 westbound and U.S. 78 eastbound to I-22 eastbound loops. Photo taken 09/25/03. Sources: 1 - US-Highways.com (Robert V. Droz). Page Updated November 2, 2003.