Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Interstate 759 - Gadsden Spur Known as the Joe Ford Freeway, Interstate 759 comprises a 4.71-mile spur from Interstate 59 to Gadsden in northeastern Alabama. The four-lane freeway serves southern reaches of Gadsden with interchanges at Black Creek Parkway and U.S. 411. Interstate 759 opened to traffic in conjunction with its state spur, Alabama 759, on October 22, 1986. Work began in 1982 on the $41 million project.1 Planned Improvements A second bridge over the Coosa River for Alabama 759 opened in summer 2004. Ghost ramps exist at the western terminus of Interstate 759 for a potential extension to U.S. 278 & 431 west of Gadsden. Additional plans also entail extending the freeway eastward to U.S. 431 (Meighan Boulevard) southeast of Gadsden. No timetable is set for either lengthening of Interstate 759 at the present time, but proposals for both date to 1988 and continue through 2009. Interstate 759 East This reassurance shield marks the eastbound beginning of Interstate 759. The freeway passes over Brooke Avenue as it leaves the junction with Interstate 59. Photo taken 06/18/05. Continuing east along Interstate 759 to the one-mile guide sign for Exit 2 (Black Creek Parkway). Black Creek Parkway comprises a four-lane divided highway between 11th Street to the north and Sutton Bridge Road alongside Interstate 759. Photo taken 06/18/05. One half mile west of the Exit 2 diamond interchange with Black Creek Parkway. Black Creek Parkway ends just south of Interstate 759 at Sutton Bridge Road and Bryant Street. Sutton Bridge Road stems west to Sutton Street while Bryant Street ventures east to Davis Drive. Photo taken 06/18/05. Eastbound at the Exit 2 ramp departure for Black Creek Parkway. Sutton Street /Sutton Bridge Road continues south of Interstate 759 to Rainbow City. Steele Station Road stems southwest from the road to junction Alabama 77 (Grand Avenue). Sutton Bridge Road transitions into Church Street at junction U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive). Photo taken 06/18/05. Interstate 759 straddles Black Creek Lake via a four-lane causeway between Eastside Drive and junction U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive). U.S. 411 enters Gadsden from Ashville and Rainbow City to the southwest. The federal highway meets Interstate 759 on the north shore of the lake. Photo taken 06/18/05. Exit 4A carries drivers onto U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive) southbound into Rainbow City. Like Interstate 759, Rainbow Drive travels a causeway between Black Creek Lake and the adjacent H. Neely Henry Lake. Downtown Rainbow City lies 3.3 miles to the southwest. Photo taken 06/18/05. A cloverleaf ramp carries drivers onto U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive) northbound as Interstate 759 ends and transitions into Alabama 759 east. U.S. 411 follows Albert Rains Boulevard along the Coosa River banks into downtown Gadsden to the north. Photo taken 06/18/05. Alabama 759 continues Interstate 759 eastbound 0.9 miles along a four-lane expressway. The state highway connects the freeway with Alabama 291 (George Wallace Drive) 0.9 miles south of its junction with U.S. 278 & 431 (Meighan Boulevard) at Hood Avenue in east Gadsden. Photo taken 06/18/05. Approaching the signalized intersection of Alabama 759 and George Wallace Drive in east Gadsden. Alabama 291 begins and arcs north along George Wallace Drive and Hood Avenue to Broad Street and U.S. 278 & 431 (Meighan Boulevard). Photo taken 06/18/05. Interstate 759 West The westbound beginning of Alabama 759, a four-lane expressway linking Hood Avenue and Interstate 759 at junction U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive). Alabama 759 parallels an adjacent shopping plaza and an arm of H. Neely Henry Lake between Hood Avenue and the transition into Interstate 759. Photo taken 06/18/05. One half mile from the six-ramp partial-cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive) on Alabama 759 west. U.S. 411 departs downtown Gadsden via Albert Rains Boulevard along the Coosa River to Rainbow Drive and Black Creek Lake. Photo taken 06/18/05. Exit 4B leaves the westbound beginning of Interstate 759 for U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive) north to downtown Gadsden. Interstate 759 carries Gadsden and Rainbow City traffic west to junction Interstate 59 and the nearby city of Attalla. Photo taken 06/18/05. Interstate 759 westbound at the Exit 4A loop ramp onto U.S. 411 (Rainbow Drive) southbound. Rainbow Drive straddles Black Creek Lake and H. Neely Henry Lake on a narrow causeway between Gadsden and Rainbow City. The federal highway meets Alabama 77 (Grand Avenue) 3.7 miles to the south. Photo taken 06/18/05. The first westbound reassurance shield posted for Interstate 759 along the Black Creek Lake causeway. Photo taken 06/18/05. One mile west of the Exit 2 diamond interchange with Black Creek Parkway. Eastside Drive passes over the freeway in the distance. Photo taken 06/18/05. Westbound at the Exit 2 ramp departure for Black Creek Parkway. Black Creek Parkway carries drivers north to 11th Street in south Gadsden and to Sutton Bridge Road for Rainbow City to the south. Photo taken 06/18/05. Interstate 759 continues west on the two-mile drive between Black Creek Parkway and junction Interstate 59. Photo taken 06/18/05. One mile east of the Interstate 59 junction on Interstate 759 west. A series of signs advise motorists of the impending freeway end for Interstate 759. Ghost ramps however at the junction hint toward a possible westward extension directly into Attalla. For the time being motorists must use Interstate 59 north to Exit 183 (U.S. 278 & 431) westbound to reach the city. Photo taken 06/18/05. Traffic shifts from the Interstate 759 mainline onto the ramps for Interstate 59 at the Brooke Avenue under crossing. Jersey barriers hide a stub end from motorists as Interstate 759 otherwise draws to a close. If extended, Interstate 759 will tie into U.S. 278 west of Attalla. Otherwise motorists partition between ramps to Interstate 59 north for Fort Payne and south for Trussville. Photo taken 06/18/05. A directional-cloverleaf interchange handles the movements between Interstates 59 and 759 west of Gadsden. Interstate 59 traffic splits into the respective directions to Chattanooga and Birmingham. Photo taken 06/18/05. Interstate 59 Alabama shields posted at the ramp split of Interstate 759's end. Interstate 59 ends 79 miles to the north at junction Interstate 24. Southward the freeway meets Interstate 459 in 45 miles. Photo taken 06/18/05. Scenes pertaining to Interstate 759 Freeway style guide sign posted along Alabama 291 (George Wallace Drive) northbound after its intersection with Alabama 759 west to Interstate 759 west. Alabama 291 ends at U.S. 278 & 438 east of the Coosa River and their interchange with U.S. 411 (Albert Rains Boulevard). Photo taken 06/18/05. Alabama 291 (George Wallace Drive) ends at the westbound beginning of Alabama 759 (signed here as Alabama 759 Truck). George Wallace Drive continues south to Padenreich Avenue and a grid of residential streets. Alabama 759 winds west and crosses the Coosa River to become Interstate 759. Photo taken 06/18/05. Sources: "I-759 opens Wednesday." Gadsden Times, October 20, 1986. Page Updated January 7, 2010.