| One-mile overhead for Exit 9/Alabama 271 - Taylor Road on Interstate 85 northbound. Alabama 271 is a divided multi-lane highway between Interstate 85 and U.S. 231 to the south. The route is signed as an alternate to U.S. 231 for points south such as Troy and Dothan. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Interstate 85 maintains six lanes through Exit 9, at this recently reconstructed interchange with Alabama 271. Taylor Road (Alabama 271), connects U.S. 82 & 231, Alabama 110, and U.S. 80 in eastern Montgomery. Exit 9 serves the nearby the Auburn University at Montgomery campus. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Interstate 85 northbound at Exit 9/Alabama 271. The city of Atlanta is now 148 miles to the northeast. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| One change occurred on the right-hand panel between 2001 and 2003. The Alabama 110 shield displayed to the right was overlayed with U.S. 231 for Exit 9. The change results from the fact that Alabama 110 now follows a new alignment to Interstate 85 Exit 11 and U.S. 80 instead of continuing west to Alabama 271. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| The end of the Exit 9 off-ramp at Alabama 271 (Taylor Road) and the new Eastchase Parkway. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Approaching the new western terminus of Alabama 110 at Exit 11. This interchange serves the villages of Mt. Meigs and Mitylene along U.S. 80 nearby. In the greater scheme of things, the connection with the four-lane Alabama 110 facilitates travel to the towns of McDade and Cecil
en route to the Bullock County seat of Union Springs (pop. 3,670), 32 miles to the southeast.
Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 eastbound at Exit 11. Here U.S. 80 crosses from the northwest to the southeast. The federal route continues to shadow Interstate 85 through to Exit 22. The road is known as the Atlanta Highway. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Just west of the Exit 16 interchange with Alabama 126 north of the U.S. 80 village of Waugh. The proposed southeast Montgomery Bypass between Interstates 65 and 85 is planned to tie into Interstate 85 near milepost 16 in the vicinity of this sign. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Alabama 126 is a new state highway, post-dating the
Exit 16 guide signs. Thus this interchange is only sign-posted as the way to Waugh and the Alabama 110
village of Cecil. Also nearby is the northern terminus of newly designated Alabama 293. This north-south route
connects U.S. 80 and Alabama 110 along the planned Montgomery south bypass corridor. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Interstate 85 northbound (eastbound) at Exit 22 for the town
of Shorter. Although not shown on the Interstate guide signage, the Alabama state map refers to this
connecting road to U.S. 80 as Alabama 138. This interchange is thus the northern terminus of the short route.
Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| One half mile west of Exit 26 for Alabama 229 north. The
upcoming interchange composes the southern terminus of the state highway. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| The diamond interchange of Exit 26 is reached by Interstate
85 north. Alabama 229 travels six miles north through Milstead to the town of Tallassee (pop. 4,934). Southward
via Macon County highways 30 & 9, U.S. 80 and the town of La Place are accessible. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| A third Alabama state terminus is encountered at the Exit
32 diamond interchange. The state route to find its beginning at Interstate 85 here is Alabama 49. County
highways to the south connect Interstate 85 and U.S. 80, providing access to the Macon County seat of
Tuskegee (pop. 11,846). Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Alabama 49 northbound travels between Interstate 85 and the
villages of Franklin (pop. 149), Reelton, and Walnut Hill en route to the Tallapoosa County seat of Dadeville
(pop. 3,212). The state route continues from there northward toward Mount Cheaha, the tallest point in the
state. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| The main entry point from Interstate 85 to the city of
Tuskegee is Alabama 81. At Exit 38, the north-south route intersects the Interstate highway. Alabama 81 is
an 11 mile route between U.S. 29 & 80 to Alabama 14. The highway also serves the town of Notasulga (pop. 916),
situated seven miles to the north at the terminus. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Situated near the Tuskegee National Forest is Exit 42 for
Alabama 186 east. The state highway exists to connect Interstate 85 traffic to U.S. 80, four miles to the
east. The purpose of this connection is to allow traffic easy access to U.S. 80, that travels to the
Columbus-Phenix City metropolitan area 37 miles to the east. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| The diamond interchange of Exit 42 composes the western
terminus of Alabama 186. Macon County 53 (Wire Road) continues northeastward across the Lee County line
toward the city of Auburn (pop. 42,987). Southward Macon County 53 backtracks to U.S. 80 near
Tuskegee (pop. 11,846). Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| An original button copy sign remains for the one-mile approach
to Exit 51 (U.S. 29) outside of the city of Auburn. U.S. 29 enters the Interstate 85 freeway from the southeast.
College Street continues into downtown Auburn and to the University of Auburn Campus via the old U.S. 29.
Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 northbound at Exit 51 (U.S. 29 & College Street).
U.S. 29 saw relocation to Interstate 85 in the mid-1990s. The federal highway remains overlapped with the
freeway for the next 13 miles. College Street meanwhile enters downtown Auburn where it intersects Alabama 14
and 147. Old U.S. 29 turns eastward along Opelika Road and Pepperell Parkway to the city of Opelika (pop. 23,498).
Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 & U.S. 29 northbound at the Exit 57 diamond
interchange with Bent Creek Road. Bent Creek Road constitutes a short connector between Hamilton Road
and Glenn Avenue. The Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport resides on Glenn Avenue just north of the
freeway. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| One-mile guide sign for the late 1990s opened Exit 58 interchange
with Gateway Drive (U.S. 280 west). U.S. 280 enters the Auburn-Opelika area via the Birmingham Highway from
the northwest. At Pepperell Parkway (Original U.S. 29) the federal highway used to turn eastward on an
overlap with U.S. 29 into downtown Opelika. From there the highway joined U.S. 431 on 9th Street and Columbus
Parkway to Interstate 85 Exit 62. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| U.S. 280 now continues south of Pepperell Parkway via
Gateway Drive to Interstate 85 & U.S. 29 at Exit 58. U.S. 280 joins the paired highways for a four-mile overlap
through to the Columbus Parkway interchange (Exit 62). Gateway Drive continues south of Interstate 85 to
Society Hill Road. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 neutered and U.S. 29 north & 280 eastbound reassurance
shields, posted after the Exit 58 merge of U.S. 280 onto the freeway. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 85 button copy guide sign for Alabama
51 and 169 (Exit 60). The paired highways end in Opelika to the north, but split south of the
interchange. Hurtsboro (pop. 592) is a small town 28 miles to the south on Alabama 51. Alabama 169 travels
south and east to Crawford and junction U.S. 80. The routing constitutes an alternate to the Phenix City area
in lieu of U.S. 280 & 431 (Columbus Parkway). Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Exit 60 traffic departs for Alabama 51 & 169 (Geneva Street)
south of Downtown Opelika. The junction between the five routes comprises a folded cloverleaf interchange.
Alabama 51 (Marvyn Parkway) and 169 (Crawford Parkway) split one half mile to the south. The joint terminus
occurs 0.8 miles northward at Columbus Parkway. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 & U.S. 29 northbound and U.S. 280 eastbound
one mile west of the Columbus Parkway (U.S. 431) interchange of Exit 62. U.S. 280 eastbound departs the
freeway for the southeastern trek with U.S. 431 to Phenix City (pop. 28,265) and Columbus (pop. 185,781).
Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| An original button copy guide sign remains at the Exit 62
diamond interchange. U.S. 431 also saw relocation from its Opelika area routing in the 1990s. The federal
highway turns northward just west of Exit 62 via the two-lane Fox Run Parkway. The bypass route encircles
the city from the east between Columbus Parkway and West Point Parkway (original U.S. 29). At that junction
U.S. 431 rejoins its original alignment en route to La Fayette (pop. 3,234). Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 & U.S. 29 northbound reassurance shields after
Exit 62. The two highways split in two miles at Exit 64 (West Point Parkway). Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Mileage sign posted after Exit 62 for Opelika (Exit 64) and
the city of Atlanta (pop. 416,474). Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| A new interchange was constructed along Interstate 85 between
2001-03 to the east of Opelika. The junction features connections with an extension of Andrews Road
(Lee County 48) from the Opelika vicinity. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 at the Exit 66 diamond interchange with
Andrews Road. Andrews Road will eventually extend southeastward to U.S. 29 (West Point Parkway). Until that
connection is complete, the U.S. 29 shield on Exit 66 related signs will remain concealed.
Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Near the Lee & Chambers County line on Interstate 85 northbound.
Depicted here is the one-mile guide sign of Chambers County 388 (Exit 70). In the background is the Chambers
County 69 overpass. Interstate 85 nips a corner of Chambers County but reenters Lee County before reaching
the Exit 70 diamond interchange. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Exits 70 and 77 of Interstate 85 mark two instances where
County pentagons are signed on Interstate guide signage within the state of Alabama. County routes are
otherwise ignored on Interstate signage statewide. This photograph shows northbound guide signage at Exit
70 for Chambers County Route 388. Cusseta is a village on nearby Chambers County Route 83 to the northwest.
Otherwise the highlight of this diamond interchange is a truck stop to the right. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Chambers County 208 (Phillips Road) intersects Interstate 85
at the Exit 77 diamond interchange. The north-south roadway travels between the nearby communities of
Huguley (pop. 2,953) and the Fairfax Bypass outside of Valley. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Interstate 85 Alabama northbound reassurance shield. Several
of the 1972 MUTCD specifications shields remain on the Alabama interstate system. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| One-mile guide sign of Exit 79 (U.S. 29) on Interstate 85
northbound. U.S. 29 provides the main highway between the town of Lannet (pop. 7,897) to Valley. U.S. 29
travels north of the freeway along Broad Avenue to Alabama 50. From there U.S. 29 follows Gilmer Avenue
to West Point, Georgia (pop. 3,302). Southward U.S. 29 follows 20th Avenue. Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| The Exit 79 diamond interchange with U.S. 29 (Broad & 20th
Avenues) provides that last exit within the state of Alabama. U.S. 29 stays to the north of Interstate 85
between Exit 79 and Georgia Exit 35 at Grantville (pop. 1,309). Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| The FHWA October 31, 2002 Interstate Route Log and Finders
List indicates that Interstate 85 in Alabama is exactly 80.00 miles in length. This photograph shows the
last Interstate 85 Alabama shield (retaining 1972 specifications no less) and milepost 80 at the
Chattahoochee River between Alabama and Georgia. Photo taken 10/04/01.
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| The state of Georgia replaced the Interstate 85 Alabama shield
with a state-named version of its own. What is odd about the replacement is that it occurs within the state
of Alabama and includes an older specification shield. Georgia dropped the state name from its MUTCD in 1999.
Photo taken 01/16/04.
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| Day Street Connector eastbound
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| Day Street eastbound at the ramp partition for Interstate 65
& 85 northbound. There is no access to Interstate 65 southbound. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Shield assembly at the gore point of the Day Street
connector eastbound. The high flyover carries Interstate 85 southbound traffic onto Interstate 65 southbound.
The bridges below carry the mainline of Interstate 65. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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Page Updated February 20, 2004.
