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U.S. 80 overlaps with Interstate 65 northward between Exits 167 and 168. The federal route returns to its second Montgomery alignment of South Boulevard at the next northbound interchange. The original routing of U.S. 80 took the federal highway northward with U.S. 31 to downtown Montgomery. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 eastbound as it merges onto Interstate 65 northbound. Noticeably omitted from the overhead ahead, U.S. 80 receives just a lone shield. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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The ramp partitioning of Interstate 65 north/U.S. 80 west and Interstate 65 south. This interchange features higher speed directional ramps. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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South Boulevard reassurance shields for U.S. 80/82 eastbound/Alabama 21 northbound. Alabama 21 gets lost in the confusion on the Boulevards of Montgomery. Quite a lack of respect for a state route that begins at the Florida state line and does not end until northeast of Anniston. Unsigned counterparts of Alabama 6 and 8 for U.S. 80/82 are also routed here, so this is a five-way multiplex. Photo taken 10/10/99. |
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U.S. 231 and 331 trailblazers posted just past the above reassurance shield assembly. Interstate 65 exit signage also has U.S. 231/331 trailblazers within it. U.S. 331 used to continue northward to downtown and the state capital dome. It was truncated to South Boulevard with the great rerouting of all non-Interstate highways in the 1980s. U.S. 231 enters East Boulevard where U.S. 82 leaves South Boulevard, six miles to the east. Photo taken 10/10/99. |
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The transition from South Boulevard to East Boulevard, where U.S. 82 exits and U.S. 231 enters. The two highways share pavement for twelve miles as they head towards southeastern Alabama. U.S. 231 joins Montgomery to Troy, Dothan, and ultimately the Florida Panhandle and Panama City. This corridor has been talked about for a future Interstate corridor. U.S. 82 on the other hand, takes less precedence as it sinks southeastward to Union Springs and Eufaula, before crossing the Chattahoochee River into the Peach State. Photo taken 12/07/99. |
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Interstate 85 Atlanta/Montgomery overhead on East Boulevard northbound (U.S. 80 east/U.S. 231/Alabama 21 north). For some reason this particular assembly is posted at an extreme height. The interchange with Interstate 85 is often associated with long delays due to the proximity of five traffic light installations. Photo taken 12/07/99. |
| U.S. 29 & 80 overlap begin |
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The southern terminus of Alabama 81 is found in the downtown area of the town of Tuskegee (pop. 11,846). Coinciding with this conclusion is the beginning of the U.S. 29 and 80 overlap. The two routes pair together in the city square area. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 29 north and 80 eastbound reassurance shields, posted after the northbound beginning of Alabama 81. A Truck Alabama 81 overlaps with the two federal routes eastward to bypass the in-city routing of Alabama 81. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Approaching the split of Truck Alabama 81 northbound from U.S. 29 north & U.S. 80 east. Note that an erroneous Alabama 80 shield is posted in lieu of U.S. 80. The truck route returns to Alabama 81 just south of the Alabama 199 eastern terminus near Interstate 85. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Truck Alabama 81 northbound departs while U.S. 29 & 80 proceed eastbound through the Tuskegee National Forest. Again an Alabama 80 shield is posted in place of U.S. 80. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Well within Tuskegee National Forest, U.S. 29 northbound departs from U.S. 80 east. At this point, an interchange exists to facilitate the adjacent eastern terminus of Alabama 186. To the north, U.S. 29 travels ten miles to the city of Auburn (pop. 42,987). Alabama 186 doubles back to Exit 42 of Interstate 85. The state route allows Interstate 85 bound motorists convenient access for U.S. 80 and its destination of Phenix City (pop. 28,265). Photo taken 08/22/03. |
| U.S. 29 & 80 overlap end |
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At the village of Marvyn, U.S. 80 crosses the north-south Alabama 51. The state highway travels 15 miles southward to Hurtsboro (pop. 592). Northward, Alabama 51 travels 14 miles to Opelika (pop. 23,498), passing through and the community Beauregard on the way. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Eastbound U.S. 80 reassurance shield, posted after the intersection with Alabama 51. The next community encountered is that of Crawford in ten miles. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Two miles west of Crawford is the joint termini of Russell County highways 33 & 77. Russell County signs their county routes better than most others in the state of Alabama. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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A close-up of the Russell County 33 & 77 pentagons of U.S. 80 east. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Alabama 169 southbound enters U.S. 80 eastbound for a short one mile overlap in th vicinity of Crawford. Alabama 169 offers an alternate to U.S. 80 for Opelika to Phenix City interests via U.S. 280 & 431. The state route travels 16 miles between Interstate 85 and Opelika to this intersection. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 eastbound and Alabama 169 southbound reassurance shields. Ahead Alabama 169 returns to a southerly trajectory, traveling 11 miles to its terminus at U.S. 431 near Seale. U.S. 80 meanwhile travels another six miles to the town of Ladonia (pop. 3,229). Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Approaching U.S. 280 & 431 and the Phenix City metropolitan area. U.S. 80 will turn north onto the paired routes for a short overlap before returning east across the J.R. Allen Parkway. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 eastbound as it turns onto U.S. 280 west & U.S. 431 north. The three routes compose part of the Phenix City west bypass. Like the city of Montgomery, Phenix City is devoid of any signed U.S. or state highways. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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During the 1980s U.S. 80 was relocated to a freeway bypass north of the Columbus, Georgia/Phenix City vicinity. The old routing was downgraded to local street status, with U.S. 80 overlapping along U.S. 280 and 431 west of Phenix City northward to this interchange. Although hard to read, the signage displays "U.S. 280 west Birmingham, U.S. 431 north Opelika, U.S. 80 east to Interstate 185 Columbus". The photograph was taken on U.S. 80 east/U.S. 280 west/U.S. 431 north. Photo taken 10/15/99. |
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The only interchange on the Alabama side of the U.S. 80 freeway is at Summerville Rd. Notice that there is no exit number (the exits are numbered sequentially on the Georgia portion of the highway). Eastward, U.S. 80 intersects Interstate 185 before ending at U.S. 27 to the northeast of the Columbus metropolitan area. Photo taken 10/15/99. |
| U.S. 80 west |
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Crossing the Chattahoochee River into the state of Alabama along the limited-access J.R. Allen Parkway. This freeway extends westward from Alternate U.S. 27 northeast of Columbus, Georgia to U.S. 280 & 431. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Beyond the Summerville Road diamond interchange, the only mainline junction of the J.R. Allen Parkway in Alabama, is this one-half mile guide sign for the upcoming U.S. 280 & 431 interchange. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Along the freeway bypass itself is this "Temporary End" guide sign, posted just before the U.S. 280 & 431 junction. It is speculated that the limited-access highway may have continued U.S. 80 westward without a merge onto U.S. 280/431. It is unclear at this time whether or not an extension will be built. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Descending toward the freeway conclusion and U.S. 280 & 431. Both lanes of traffic descend to an intersection ahead. Note that the control city of Opelika (pop. 23,498). U.S. 280 & 431 travel from this point 22 miles northwest to the Interstate 85 and the Auburn-Opelika area. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 westbound turns southward along the multi-lane divided U.S. 280 east & 431 south for a one mile overlap. To the right, U.S. 280 west and 431 north continue with four lanes and a 65 mph speed limit to Interstate 85 Exit 62. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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The Phenix City bypass widens to six lanes from U.S. 80 southward. Pictured here is the U.S. 80 westbound split from U.S. 280 east and U.S. 431 south. Downtown Phenix City is 1.5 miles to the left via old U.S. 80. To the right, U.S. 80 travels three miles to Ladonia (pop. 3,229). Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 westbound joins U.S. 231 and Alabama 21 southbound along a freeway section of East Boulevard. Pictured here is a slip ramp to an adjacent service road, serving a local shopping mall. The freeway itself transitions to a surface arterial at the Interstate 85 interchange. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 westbound overlaps with U.S. 231 south and Alabama 21 southbound along East Boulevard. These shields are posted on East Boulevard just south of the Interstate 85 Exit 6 interchange. The landscape is more or less untamed suburban sprawl. The failure of the Boulevard system for Montgomery is why a new freeway bypass several miles to the south and east is being sought. Photo taken 04/95. |
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The area surrounding the South Boulevard interchange with Interstate 65 has your typical bumper crop of roadside amenities. The close proximity to Interstate 85 sees trailblazers for the nearby southern terminus displayed with northbound Interstate 65 shields. Continuing west through this interchange takes Alabama 21 to U.S. 31 as West Boulevard and ultimately to Maxwell AFB. Photo taken 10/04/01. |
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Originally intended to facilitate through traffic with a bypass of Montgomery, East and South Boulevards have since succumbed to heavy traffic woes associated with development. In the 1980s, all numbered routes with the exception of Interstates 65 and 85 were relocated to this loop system of roads. Photograph looks westward at U.S. 80/82 and Alabama 21 southbound at Interstate 65. U.S. 80 travels south with Interstate 65 for one mile to Exit 167. As of 2001, U.S. 82 now overlaps with Interstate 65 north to Prattville (Exit 179). Top photo taken 10/10/99; bottom photo taken 01/16/04. |
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U.S. 80 westbound departs Interstate 65 at Exit 171 along a one-mile long freeway. This piece of limited-access highway connects Interstate 65 with original U.S. 80 at U.S. 31. A diamond interchange now exists with U.S. 31 and Alabama 21. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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This shield assembly is posted just before the U.S. 31 and Alabama 21 northbound off-ramp. Alabama 21 returns to U.S. 80 westbound via U.S. 31 and continues ten miles with the route before departing to the Lowndes County seat of Hayneville (pop. 1,177). Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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A simple U.S. 31 guide sign is posted at the westbound U.S. 80 off-ramp to the Mobile Highway. Alabama 21 departs U.S. 80 eastbound along the original U.S. 31/80 overlap to East Boulevard. At East Boulevard, Alabama 21 turns eastward along South Boulevard to the Interstate 65 & U.S. 80/82 interchange. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 between U.S. 31 and the city of Selma (pop. 20,512) is designated a National Historic Trail because of its significance during the Civil Rights Movement. The divided-highway is named the Selma to Montgomery March Byway. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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U.S. 80 west and Alabama 21 quickly descend to at-grade west of the U.S. 31 diamond interchange. Ahead is Montgomery Regional Airport/Dannelly Field. The city of Selma is 44 miles to the east. Photo taken 08/22/03. |
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Westbound U.S. 80 at the rural junction with Alabama 17 south of York. The two highways intersect one another at a partial interchange, with U.S. 80 crossing over Alabama 17. Two access roads facilitate the movements between the two highways. Pictured is the unusual arrangement of Alabama 17 north and south shields for the access road from U.S. 80 to Alabama 17. A duplicate access road brings traffic to U.S. 80 from Alabama 17 to the left (south). Photo taken 08/10/02. |
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U.S. 80 is a lonely road between Alabama 17 and the town of Cuba at U.S. 11. This westbound scene shows the dense overgrowth of vegetation along the two-lane corridor. Photo taken 08/10/02. |
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Junction U.S. 11 shield, posted on U.S. 80 westbound at Cuba. The two highways share pavement from this junction westward across the Mississippi state line to Meridian. The first westbound/southbound Interstate 20/59 interchange in the Magnolia State is with the U.S. highway pair. Photo taken 08/10/02. |
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U.S. 80 westbound turns onto U.S. 11 at this intersection. The guide signage is typical for rural junctions between U.S. and state highways in Alabama. The small town of York is situated at the U.S. 11/Alabama 17 junction, five miles to the northeast. Continuing west through this intersection, leads to Interstate 20/59 Exit 1 within one mile. Eventually this roadway may be extended further, depending on what is in store for High Priority Corridor 6. Photo taken 08/10/02. |
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At this flasher in the community of Cuba, U.S. 80 westbound intersects with U.S. 11. The two highways are paired from this intersection westward, with unsigned Alabama 8 (the counterpart for U.S. 80 throughout the state of Alabama) continuing to Interstate 20 and 59. U.S. 80 and Alabama 8 are part of High Priority Corridor 6. Photo taken 08/10/02. |
Page Updated February 20, 2004.
