| Interstate 65 southbound at the same sign bridge depicted in the above photograph. A frontal boundary was in the process of passing by the Birmingham metropolitan area at the time of this photograph. This particular set of signs remains from the previous incantation of Exit 261 signage along Interstate 65 southbound. There are several sets of new signs further south that were installed during the Fall of 2003. Photo taken 09/27/03.
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| For southbound Interstate 65 motorists, traffic to U.S. 78
for Jasper, Hamilton, and points west, is advised to travel west on the surface boulevard Finley Avenue
to access the federal route. Two miles to the west U.S. 78 intersects Finley Avenue. The intersection
marks the transition of U.S. 78/Alabama 5 from Arkadelphia Road to the Bankhead Highway. The corridor between
Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham is part of High Priority Corridor
Corridor 10 and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Development Corridor X.
The route will become Interstate 22 upon completion
in 2006. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Finley Avenue also serves the Thomas and Norwood neighborhoods
of the city. The Exit 262B junction is a simple diamond interchange. There is no Exit 262A in the southbound
direction of Interstate 65. There is an Exit 262A in the northbound direction. That exit can be found in the
form of a folded diamond interchange at 16th Street. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Traffic from Finley Avenue merges onto Interstate 65 southbound
in this photograph. The first of several lane allocation signs for the upcoming Exit 261 junction advises
southbound motorists. The left-hand lane becomes an exit-only affair for Interstate 20-59 northeast for
Downtown Birmingham and the International Airport. This set of signs remains from a previous signing project.
Photo taken 09/27/03.
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| A new diagrammatical overhead and associated sign bridge was
installed Fall of 2003. This sign includes the new traffic pattern that will result from construction at the
interchange itself. ALDOT is widening Interstate 65 from two the three through lanes and also expanding the
Interstate 20-59 northeast ramp from one to two lanes. The overpass here carries 16th Street over the freeway.
Photo taken 09/27/03.
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| The southbound on-ramp from Exit 262A merges into the
right-hand exit only lane for Exit 261B. Interstate 20-59 to the southwest serves the metro area communities of
Fairfield (pop. 12,381) (Exits 118 and 119A), Midfield (pop. 5,626) (Exit 115), Brighton (pop. 3,640)/Lipscomb
(pop. 2,458) (Exit 113), Hueytown (pop. 15,364) (Exits 112 and 115), and Bessemer (Exits 108, future 109, and
113) Photo taken 09/27/03.
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| At the 12th Avenue Court overpass, a third new sign bridge
is placed along Interstate 65 southbound for Exits 261B/A. Exit 261B departs just beyond the bridge,
taking motorists onto Interstate 20-59 southwest. The paired Interstates will reach their control city of
Tuscaloosa in 53 miles. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| The replaced sign bridge at the 12th Avenue Court overpass on
Interstate 65 southbound. This photograph reveals the previous lane configuration, with only two through
lanes for Montgomery, Homewood, and Hoover based traffic interests. The gore point sign in the background no
longer stands. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Exit 261A departs for Interstate 20-59 northeast from Interstate
65 southbound. Expansion in the form of a new southbound lane can be seen to the right. Traffic departing
to the left will enter the Birmingham central business district upon merging onto the paired Interstates.
Interstates 20 and 59 will split six miles to the north their respective Exit 130. Photo taken 09/24/03.
|
| A look at the Exit 261A departure pre-2003 construction. The sign
bridge again is original and saw replacement during the Summer of 2003. In the background are the southwest bound
lanes of Interstate 20-59. The configuration of this interchange results in the crossover of the Interstate
65 north and southbound lanes, and the Interstate 20-59 northeast and southwest bound lanes. This configuration
allows for the left-hand connecting ramps that are found in all directions of travel. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| A night-time look at the new overheads on the Interstate 65
southbound sign bridge at Exit 261A. Just before Interstate 20 and 59 split, Exit 129 serves Birmingham International
Airport via Airport Boulevard. The twinned Interstates also see two interchanges to serve the downtown area:
Exit 125A at 17th Street and Exit 125B at 26th Street. Photo taken 08/24/03.
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| The same construction that is taking place at "Malfunction
Junction" has resulted in new lane configurations southward to Exit 260. This sign bridge is newly placed as
of Summer 2003, and is posted at the merge of the Interstate 20-59 southwest bound ramp to Interstate 65. Photo taken 09/26/03.
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| Interstate 65 southbound maintains six lanes from Interstate 20-59
southward to Exit 246 at the city of Pelham. The off-ramp to Six Avenue North is the Interstate 65 access point
for traffic headed toward Downtown Birmingham. Traffic wishing to access nearby U.S. 11 must travel three
blocks along 10th Street southbound to the federal route. In contrast the northbound ramp directly accesses
U.S. 11 at Third Avenue North. Photo taken 10/01/03.
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| This photograph takes a look at the original sign bridge and
button copy overheads for Interstate 65 southbound approaching Exit 260. Rush hour traffic crawls through
the area in this early morning scene. Photo taken 02/11/01.
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| A summertime view of the button copy signs depicted in the above
photograph. Red Mountain remains in view along this stretch of Interstate 65, with a scattering of communications
towers situated on top. The famous Vulcan Statue is also found on top of Red Mountain, as are the studios for
the local NBC television station (the white buildings to the left). Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Construction continues in this southbound scene at the Exit 260
ramp departure. Two lanes facilitate movements to 6th Avenue South. Note that even though the sign bridge is
new, the two panels on the left are original button copy signs. These signs were retained from the previous
sign bridge. Talk about an example of sign recycling... Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| A near sunset view of Interstate 65 southbound at Exit 260.
Traffic back-ups are routing along the north-south freeway between Interstate 20-59 and Interstate 459 at
the city of Hoover. Photo taken 09/26/03.
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| Exit 260 is the only access point from Interstate 65 southbound
for the Owenton neighborhood of the city. The community is located to the west where U.S. 11 and 78 split to
their respective paths. U.S. 78 is not displayed on any Interstate 65 signage for Exit 260. The federal route
however, passes underneath the freeway along 1st Avenue North. U.S. 78 turns north two blocks to continue
an overlap with U.S. 11 at 9th Street. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The original sign bridge of Exit 260 was still in place as
recently at August 2003. This southbound photograph reveals the button copy signs on their original assemblies.
0.75 miles to the south is the next central business district area exit, that of Exit 259B with 4th Avenue
South. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| This early morning view reveals the Exit 260 overheads in the
above photograph. The arrow along the now replaced right-hand panel was likely relocated at the onset of the
area construction. Photo taken 08/24/03.
|
| Interstate 65 southbound crosses over 5th Avenue North
at the one-half mile sign bridge of Exit 259B/Fourth Avenue South. The nearby Norfolk-Southern Railroad
corridor that bisects the city, also demarks the division line for the Birmingham street address system.
The numbered avenues are therefore based on how many blocks north or south they are from the railroad lines.
Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| The original button copy signs of the Exit 259B sign bridge
still remain as of Fall 2003. The Interstate 65 southbound panel is one of three to remain in the area with
button copy shields. In fact, all of the Interstate 20-59 button copy shields posted along their mainline were
replaced with fully reflectorized versions in 2003. Fourth Avenue South is cut between 7th and 10th Streets.
Therefore the Exit 259B resumes the street via a two lane sharply curved ramp. Photo taken 09/25/03.
|
| Button copy in its glory, illuminated by the camera flash
during this early morning scene. 4th Avenue South provides alternate access to the nearby University of
Alabama at Birmingham campus. Photo taken 08/24/03.
|
| Traffic from Exit 260/U.S. 11 - 3rd Avenue North merges onto
Interstate 65 southbound, one-half mile north of the Exit 259B departure. While the right-hand lane
displays exit-only for 4th Avenue South, the lane actually continues on to Exit 259A of Sixth Avenue South.
Photo taken 09/26/03.
|
| This overhead is placed for motorists that have just
merged onto Interstate 65 from U.S. 11/3rd Avenue North. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Interstate 65 southbound at the Exit 259B ramp departure for
the resumption of 4th Avenue South eastbound. It is believed that Alabama 149 begins at the intersection of
4th Avenue South and nearby 11th Street. The state route is never mentioned on any of the Interstate 65 related
signage, even though the state route follows the freeway from Birmingham to Homewood. Photo taken 09/25/03.
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| Interstate 65 southbound yields its fourth lane to
Exit 259A for Sixth Avenue South. This busy interchange also serves University Boulevard and Alabama 149 (Green
Springs Highway). Just east of the freeway is the large University of Alabama at Birmingham campus and medical
complex. The organization is the largest employer for the city of Birmingham. Also situated nearby are the
Southside and Five Points neighborhoods of the city. Top photo taken 09/26/03; bottom photo taken 10/01/03.
|
|
| Upcoming exits sign posted after the Exit 259A interchange.
The next junction serves Green Springs Avenue, an east-west roadway between Alabama 149 and Jefferson Avenue
in the West End community. This exit also serves George Ward Park. Photo taken 10/01/03.
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| A diamond interchange exists at Exit 258/Green Springs Avenue.
This is the last Birmingham city interchange as Interstate 65 departs the municipality across Red Mountain
to Homewood. Just southwest of here is the Spaulding community of the city. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| The first of two interchanges to serve the city of Homewood
is that of Exit 256A/B at Oxmoor Road. This interchange is a partial cloverleaf with two off-ramps to Oxmoor
Road in the southbound direction. Exit 256A carries motorists onto Oxmoor Road west. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| Concrete remains the surface of choice throughout the
Birmingham metropolitan area along Interstate 65. Concrete surfaces can also be found in the city of Montgomery
as well, but in only a handful of shorter stretches elsewhere in the state. This photo displays the Exit
256A sign bridge again. Note the lighting fixtures and sign brackets from the original panels. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| A cloverleaf ramp facilitates the movements of Interstate 65
southbound onto Oxmoor Road east. This road straddles the Birmingham/Homewood city line after crossing
Alabama 149. Further northeast Oxmoor Road culminates as Hollywood Boulevard near Lane Park, home to
the Birmingham Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| The next southbound interchange of Interstate 65 serves
Lakeshore Drive. This junction was constructed during the mid-1990s and features the extension of Lakeshore
Drive southwestward from Alabama 149 as Lakeshore Parkway to the city of Bessemer (pop. 29,672). The
roadway eastward serves Samford University and southwestward Oxmoor Valley Golf Course. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Exit 255 is one of two Homewood city interchanges of Interstate
65. Lakeshore Drive continues northeasterly as Alabama 149 after crossing nearby Green Springs Highway.
The surface boulevard continues to Samford University and U.S. 31/Montgomery Highway. Alabama 149
draws to a close at an interchange with U.S. 280/Cahaba Road. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| A second perspective of the Exit 255 southbound ramp
departure. Interstate 65 is now 83 miles north of the Alabama capital city. Alford Avenue, Exit 254, is another
1.50 miles to the south. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| The scenery along Interstate 65, although suburban in nature,
continues to be aesthetically pleasing. This photo displays the Lakeview Drive overpass and nearby piedmont
to the south. Interstate 65 curves to the southwest briefly before recurving to the southeast.
Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 southbound winds through Homewood en route to
Exit 254/Alford Avenue. This surface street travels through the Shades Cliff neighborhood of Hoover,
paralleling Shades Crest Road. To the east, the highway becomes Shades Crest Road as it enters Vestavia Hills.
Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Nearing the Exit 254 departure for Alford Avenue on Interstate
65 southbound. This sign is still obscured as of October 2003 as it points to the diamond interchange ahead.
Alford Avenue in conjunction with Shades Crest Road serves the Bluffs Park neighborhood of west Hoover. The
surface roadway continues far to the southwest, crossing Interstate 459 near the Bessemer City line.
Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| Exit 254 gore point sign at the diamond interchange of Alford
Avenue. Interstate 65 turns southeasterly at this point to the city of Vestavia Hills. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| At Exit 252, U.S. 31 crosses from the east to the southwest
over Interstate 65. This photograph reveals the one-mile guide sign for the upcoming interchange. In the
background is a variable message sign (VMS). For some reason or another, all of the Birmingham area VMS were
dismantled by the Fall of 2003, possibly for upgraded replacements. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| Descending toward Exit 252 on Interstate 65 southbound. The
freeway enters the Vestavia Hills city limits briefly between Exits 254 and 252. U.S. 31 is a multi-lane
divided highway through the cities of Vestavia Hills and Hoover. The frontage is heavily developed with
apartment complexes, subdivisions, and commercial shopping centers. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| One quarter mile north of the Exit 252 partial cloverleaf
interchange is the first guide sign for Exit 250/Interstate 459. The state of Alabama always signs Interstate to
Interstate junctions with two, one, and one-half mile advance guide signs. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| Interstate 65 southbound at the U.S. 31/Exit 252 interchange.
This junction also serves Columbiana Road (Jefferson County 99), a north-south divided highway between
U.S. 31 and Alabama 149. The roadway ties into the northbound ramps at the Montgomery Highway. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| Foliage still partially obscures the Exit 252 guide sign
of Interstate 65 southbound. U.S. 31 is known as the Montgomery Highway between the city of Pelham north to
the city of Homewood and the beginning of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway. The Montgomery Highway from there
enters the city street grid of Birmingham ending as 21st Street at Red Mountain. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 southbound reassurance shield, posted just south
of the U.S. 31 interchange. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 turns to the southeast after Exit 252 toward
the symmetrical stack interchange at Interstate 459/Exit 250. At this location, the freeway departs Vestavia
Hills (pop. 24,476) and enters the city of Hoover. The addition of the U.S. 31 on-ramp provides for an auxiliary exit-only
lane for Exit 250. Photo taken 08/10/02.
|
| A second Exit 250 overhead for Interstate 459 along Interstate
65 southbound. Interstate 459 features control cities for Interstate 20-59 southwest (Tuscaloosa) and
Interstate 20 east (Atlanta)/Interstate 59 north (Gadsden). The freeway also serves Birmingham area traffic
interests with interchanges at Bessemer (Exits 1 and 6), Hoover (Exits 10, 13A/B, 17), Birmingham/Mountain
Brook (Exits 19 and 23), Irondale (Exit 27), and Trussville/Birmingham (Exit 32). Photo taken 09/28/03.
|
| U.S. 280 use Exit 250 guide sign for Interstate 459 northbound.
U.S. 280 is a developing corridor from Birmingham southeast through Homewood (pop. 25,043), Mountain Brook
(pop. 20,604), and Cahaba Heights (pop. 5,203). The federal route intersects the belt-line at Exit 19. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The southbound auxiliary lane expands to two lanes for
Exit 250/Interstate 459. Interstate 459 currently travels between Interstate 20-59 at Bessemer northeast to
Interstate 59 at Trussville. A northern belt-line freeway is planned to continue from the southern terminus northward
to Interstate 59 near Trussville. It is unclear at this time whether or not Interstate 459 will be extended
along this route or if a new number will be applied. This project is part of
High Priority Corridor 28. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The Exit 250 ramp partition at the four-level stack interchange
features these non-reflectorized button copy overheads. Interstate 459 to the west quickly encounters two
interchanges. Exit 13B is a partial-cloverleaf with U.S. 31. Exit 13A is a recently opened "Y" interchange to
the Riverchase Galleria mall and Alabama 150. To the northeast, Interstate 459 travels two miles to
International Park and Acton Road (Exit 17). Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| South of the Interstate 459 junction, Interstate 65 briefly
departs the Hoover city limits and crosses the Cahaba River into Shelby County. The freeway maintains six lanes
four the next four miles. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The first interchange south of the Birmingham Bypass is with
Shelby County 17/Valleydale Road. This photograph reveals the one-half mile guide sign for Exit 247 along
Interstate 65 southbound. The partial cloverleaf interchange serves the Riverchase and Indian Valley neighborhoods
of Hoover (pop. 62,742). Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The Exit 247 interchange is situated at Little Valley Mountain.
Shelby County 17 travels west to U.S. 31 where it transitions into Alabama 261 south at the city of Pelham
(pop. 14,369). Just to the east of this junction likes Rutherford Lakes. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Night time view of the Exit 247 guide sign at the southbound
off-ramp to Shelby County 17. This county highway straddles the piedmont of south Birmingham metro to the northeast.
The route eventually intersects U.S. 280 at the Inverness community. Photo taken 08/24/03.
|
| Continuing over Little Valley Mountain, Interstate 65 descends
toward its next interchange, that of Exit 246 with Alabama 119. Cahaba Valley Road is an east-west roadway between
U.S. 31 at Pelham northeast to Indian Springs (pop. 2,225), the eastern reaches of Hoover and U.S. 280, and
Lake Purdy. Photo taken 10/01/03.
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| The six-lane segment of Interstate 65 comes to an end at the
Exit 246 diamond interchange. The right-hand two lanes depart for Alabama 119 and the city of Pelham. The hilly
areas within the vicinity of this junction are home to Oak Mountain State Park and the Indian Springs Ranch
and New Hope neighborhoods. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| An early morning mist shrouds the departure of Exit 246
from Interstate 65 southbound. Interstate 65 will not again expand to six lanes until it reaches Exit 181.
Beyond this interchange the freeway travels over Little Oak Ridge and Fungo Hollow to Exit 242. Photo taken 08/24/03.
|
| While Shelby County 17 is displayed on Exit 247 guide signs,
Shelby County 52 is not on Exit 242 guide signs. In fact, no County route shield will be displayed on another
Interstate 65 guide sign until Exit 54 in Escambia County. Thus Exit 242 features just two control points,
that of Helena (pop. 10,296) and Pelham, two communities just off to the west. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 finally nears its departure of the Birmingham
metropolitan area as it travels through the Exit 242 diamond interchange. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| At Exit 238, Interstate 65 begins to turn southeasterly on a
trajectory to the Alabama capital city. While doing this, U.S. 31 crosses from the northwest to the southeast
of the freeway between the city of Alabaster (pop. 22,619) and town of Saginaw. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The next interchange of Interstate 65 serves county highways
near the Shelby County Airport. These routes connect with nearby Alabama 119 and thus provide access to
the town of Montevallo (pop. 4,825), home to the University of Montevallo. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 at Exit 234. This rural junction not only serves
the county airport, but also serves the nearby towns of Saginaw and Varnons. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Nearing the Exit 231 interchange at the Shelby County 22
overpass. This bridge features cast-in-place construction with older concrete guard rails. The design of this
structure is typical throughout the Alabama Interstate system. As time moves onward, many of these bridges
will be replaced or brought up to current standards. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The second U.S. 31 pass within a seven mile stretch occurs
at Exit 231. The federal route again travels to the west of Interstate 65 from here south to Clanton. Within
the vicinity of this junction is the town of Calera (pop. 3,158). The connection with Alabama 25 at Calera
allows travelers a nine mile westward routing to Montevallo. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Three miles south of the U.S. 31 exit is the Alabama 25 interchange
at Exit 228. Alabama 25 is dubbed the University of Montevallo Highway as it travels between Montevallo
through Calera to Interstate 65. To the northeast the state route travels ten miles to the Shelby County
seat of Columbiana (pop. 3,316). The same route can be found overlapped with U.S. 78 at the southern terminus
of U.S. 411 in Leeds (pop. 10,455). Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Resurfacing was underway at the time of this photograph between
Exit 228 and Exit 219. The road work resulted in a three mile delay because of a reduction to just one
through lane. Anyhow, in this photograph is the one mile guide sign for Exit 219. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Exit 219 is the first Chilton County interchange of Interstate
65 southbound. The junction serves the Jemison (pop. 2,248) and Union Grove (pop. 94) communities via local
county highways. Jemison and the second control point of Thornsby (pop. 1,820) are both located along U.S. 31
to the west. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| The piedmont of the Birmingham area flattens to slow rolling
hills as Interstate 65 progresses southward toward Montgomery. Interstate 65 widens in various locations to
allow for a large tree-filled median between the two carriageways. Pictured here is the one-half mile guide sign
of Exit 219. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Alabama 145 crosses Interstate 65 at Exit 212 near the Chilton
County seat of Clanton (pop. 7,800). The interchange is four miles north of Clanton and just to the
east of the village of Lomax. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| One-half mile north of Alabama 145 on Interstate 65 south.
The state highway widens to four lanes from the freeway south to its terminus at U.S. 31 in Clanton. Chilton
County 55 meanwhile stems eastward from Alabama 145 to Lay Dam at Lake Lake. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| South of Lay Lake along the Coosa River is Mitchell Lake.
The body of water is located east of Interstate 65 at the end of Chilton County 28. Exit 208 serves this roadway
and the town of Clanton to the west. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 southbound at the ramp departure of Exit 208.
Three miles to the south, a third Clanton area junction exists in the form of Exit 205 at U.S. 31/Alabama 22.
Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Mileage sign south of the Exit 205 interchange for Prattville
and Montgomery. The next 19 miles are the most isolated of Interstate 65 between Montgomery and Birmingham.
A few villages dot U.S. 31 nearby to the east, but otherwise the area is vastly unpopulated.
Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Exit 200 is the only interchange between the Clanton crossing
of U.S. 31 and the Prattville area crossing of the same route. This diamond interchange connects with a county
roadway to the west of the Verbena. Also in the area are the communities of Mountain Creek, Marbury, and
Wadsworth. Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Fourteen miles to the south, the longest exit-less stretch of
Interstate 65 within the Heart of Dixie, is the U.S. 31 Prattville (pop. 24,303) area interchange. Exit 186 is
seven miles to the north of the Autauga County seat and three miles to the south of Pine Level.
Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Alabama 14 is a lengthy east-west route between the cities of
Selma (pop. 20,512), Prattville, Wetumpka (pop. 5,726), Tallassee (pop. 4,934), and Auburn (pop. 42,987).
The state highway intersects Interstate 65 at Exit 181, six miles to the east of Prattville.
Photo taken 10/01/03.
|
| Interstate 65 southbound at the Exit 181 gore point
for Alabama 14. Wetumpka represents the Elmore County seat 13 miles to the east of Interstate 65. The villages
of Coosada (pop. 1,382) and Elmore (pop. 199) are also served by this interchange. Photo taken 10/01/03.
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Page Updated October 10, 2003.
