Interstate 59 - Alabama
Interstate 59 joins the largest city in Alabama, Birmingham, with Tuscaloosa to the west and Gadsden to the northeast. The portion of Interstate 59 in Alabama is part of the 445-mile overall highway linking the New Orleans metropolitan area and the central gulf coast with Chattanooga and the Mid-Atlantic states via connections with Interstate 75 and 81. Interstate 59 shares 130.10 miles of pavement with Interstate 20 within the Heart of Dixie. The freeways cosign from the Mississippi state line to Birmingham International Airport.
Interstate 20-59 retain a rural character from Meridian, Mississippi to Tuscaloosa. The stretch between Tuscaloosa to Birmingham however is undergoing growth as the two cities suburbs approach one another. Therefore much of the 40 mile or so drive between the two communities is six-laned now. In Birmingham, Interstate 20-59 serve downtown Birmingham and interests to Huntsville and Nashville via Interstate 65 while Interstate 459 carries the bulk of bypassing traffic. The junction with Interstate 65 northwest of downtown, touted as 'Malfunction Junction' is one of the busiest in the entire state. East of downtown Interstate 59 and 20 go their separate ways, with Interstate 59 reducing to four lines despite its increasing role as a commuter route to Trussville. Northeast of Trussville however, the story is much different as a rustic nature overtakes the four-lane freeway through to Gadsden and the Georgia state line. Some of the deadest stretches of Interstate in the entire Heart of Dixie lie between Gadsden and Fort Payne.
22.3 miles of Interstate 59 opened in 1965 between Attalla and Collinsville (Exit 205).1
Interstate 59 Alabama Highway Guides
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