| Sign bridge at the Exit 63 departure for Alabama 269 along U.S. 78 westbound. Note the space allocation for an eventual Interstate 22 shield on the pull-through panel. Also note that the third westbound lane ends within this diamond interchange. The southbound control point of Alabama 269 is the town of Parrish (pop. 1,268). Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The second Jasper interchange is that of Exit 61 with Alabama 69. The state route travels along the Bankhead Highway to Alabama 118 before turning south through downtown Jasper. Further south Alabama 69 continues nine miles to the town of Oakman (pop. 944). Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Drawing close to the unsigned diamond interchange of "Exit 54". No guide signs of any kind currently exist for this interchange. A simple gore point exit sign is all that is posted. To the right is the original U.S. 78 alignment, now sign posted as Alabama 118. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The western end of the Jasper segment of Future Interstate 22 exists at future Exit 52, four miles to the east of Carbon Hill (pop. 2,071). Temporary U.S. 78 ends signs are posted at half mile intervals. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| U.S. 78 westbound and Alabama 118 eastbound shield assembly posted just before the freeway conclusion. Alabama 118 consists of old U.S. 78 from this point eastward to Alabama 69 near Jasper. U.S. 78 westbound rejoins its old alignment through the town of Carbon Hill. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| A sign bridge is posted at the Exit 52 ramps for Alabama 118 eastbound and the U.S. 78 departure from the Future Interstate 22 freeway. Unlike the signs posted back in Jasper, the control city is Carbon Hill and not Tupelo. This is because this sign will remain after the 2005
completion of the freeway through to Hamilton. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| 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.
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| Westward perspective from the eventual westbound lanes of
Interstate 22 at the Exit 30 stub interchange. The Hamilton area segment of Corridor X consists of four
overall travel lanes. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Between the town of Winfield (pop. 4,540) and Exit 30
of Future Interstate 22, U.S. 78 & Alabama 4 overlap with Alabama 129. The three routes share a three-lane
highway for four miles. This photograph looks at the junction shields for U.S. 78 and Alabama 4 along
Alabama 129 north. They are technically incorrect, but will be accurate in 2005 when the Jasper and Hamilton
segments are linked. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| North Alabama 129 shield, posted at the onset of the
diamond interchange of Future Interstate 22. The north-south highway continues four miles to Brilliant
and ten miles to U.S. 278. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| U.S. 78 & Alabama 4 westbound depart Alabama 129 northbound.
The town of Hamilton lies 18 miles to the west. The control city of Tupelo, Mississippi is reached in 60 miles.
Alabama 129 itself concludes in 20 miles near the town of Haleyville (pop. 4,182). Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The first mainline interchange of U.S. 78/Alabama 4 westbound
is that of Exit 27 with Alabama 44. This east-west route travels between U.S. 43 near Guin (pop. 2,389)
and Alabama 129 two miles to the south of Brilliant (pop. 762). Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The scenery of the Hamilton segment of Future Interstate
22 supercedes what is visible on the Jasper segment. This photograph looks at the winding nature of the highway
as it nears the Alabama 44 junction. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Future Interstate 22 ascends westward outside of the Exit
27 diamond interchange. Milepost 27 is visible to the right. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The rolling hills of west Alabama continue to set the tone
for an enjoyable drive along Future Interstate 22 west. Scenery such as this is also prevalent along the new
alignment of Interstate 26 in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Entering the 24th mile of U.S. 78 & Alabama 4 westbound in
Marion County. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Ahead is the Exit 22 diamond interchange with Marion County
45. Traffic counts are relatively low on this stretch of Future Interstate 22. However with that stated,
there is a significant amount of truck traffic using the Birmingham to Memphis route. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| U.S. 78 & Alabama 4 westbound at Exit 22. Marion County 45
is a southwest to northeast route between U.S. 43 north of Guin and Alabama 253 south of Pearces Mill.
Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| U.S. 78 and Alabama 4 are consistently signed on the 30-mile
Hamilton area segment of Future Interstate 22. In just about every case, the shields feature the blue and white
Appalachian Regional Development Corridor X style shields. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Future Interstate 22 takes a brief westerly turn before
resuming a northwestern trajectory in the vicinity of the Exit 16 diamond interchange. The upcoming junction
serves the U.S. 43 & 278 overlap. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| One-half mile guide sign for U.S. 43 & 278. The paired routes
serve Guin eight miles to the south and the Marion County seat of Hamilton (pop. 6,786) five miles to the
north. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| A second Hamilton area interchange exists at Exit 14 with
Marion County 35. This highway travels between Henson Springs and Hamilton. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Exit 14 guide sign and ramp departure from Future Interstate
22 westbound. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| 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.
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| One half mile east of the Exit 11 interchange with Alabama 17.
Alabama 17 is part of a longer route serving the towns of Sulligent (pop. 2,151), Detroit (pop. 247), and
Hamilton (pop. 6,786). The route travels the Black Belt region of the state from Mobile to Tennessee by way of Florence.
Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Exit 11 gore point sign and ramp departure from U.S. 78 &
Alabama 4 westbound. There are two remaining interchanges of Corridor X within Alabama. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| One-half mile guide sign of Exit 7 for Weston and Hamilton.
While no route is shown on this sign, the exit does serve nearby Alabama highways 19 & 74. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| U.S. 78 & Alabama 4 westbound at Exit 7. Alabama 74 begins
just east of this junction, traveling five miles into Hamilton. The intersection with Alabama 19 represents
the western terminus of that route. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The final Heart of Dixie interchange of Future Interstate 22
westbound is that of Exit 3 with County Road 33. This rural highway travels between Alabama 19 northward through
Bexar to Shotsville and the Mississippi line to the north. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Westbound on Future Interstate 22 at the Alabama/Mississippi
state line. The pavement change from asphalt to concrete represents the change in jurisdiction. The guide
sign in view displays Itawamba County, Mississippi. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Scenes Related to U.S. 78/Future Interstate 22
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| The overpasses that will shuttle Interstate 22 over Alabama
13 are essentially done. Photo taken on Alabama 13 northbound. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| The future Exit 65 eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 22 from
Industrial Parkway Road. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Industrial Parkway Road northbound at the eventual full diamond
interchange of Future Interstate 22/Exit 65. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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Page Updated November 2, 2003.
