| The northbound departure of Exit 246 for Alabama 119 occurs
in this photograph. Cahaba Valley Road travels from U.S. 31 through Indian Springs (pop. 2,225) to
U.S. 280 at Mountain Brook. The highway is seeing an increase in suburban development due to the expanding of
Birmingham suburbs. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Only the second occurrence of a County Pentagon on Interstate
65 guide signs occurs at Exit 247. Shelby County 17 composes Valleydale Road, a suburban highway between
U.S. 31 and U.S. 280, roughly paralleling Interstate 459 to the south. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| The first of several Exit 250 guide signs for the Interstate
459 Birmingham bypass. The upcoming junction is a four-level symmetrical stack. Interstate 459 features
Interstate 20 and 59 related control cities. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| One-mile sign bridge for Interstate 459/Exit 250 along Interstate
65 northbound. Interstate 459 serves through-travel interests in the area while also acting as a conduit to
suburban sprawl for communities such as Hoover, Vestavia Hills (pop. 24,476), Mountain Brook (pop. 20,604),
and Trussville (pop. 12,924). Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Interstate 65 presses toward the symmetrical stack of Exit 250.
Two lanes will serve Interstate 459 travel interests as Interstate 65 maintains six overall mainline lanes
along the second level of the interchange. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Interstate 459 ramps depart Interstate 65 northbound in
this scene. Obscured from traffic is the two mile guide sign for Exit 252/U.S. 31 - Montgomery Highway.
Interstate 459 serves the Riverchase Galleria and Alabama's sixth largest city Hoover (pop. 62,742). This
junction is the first of many Jefferson County interchanges. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Traffic from Interstate 459 merges onto Interstate 65 northbound
one mile south of Exit 252. The upcoming interchange serves U.S. 31, the Montgomery Highway. This sixth crossing
of Interstate 65 for U.S. 31 serves the central area of Hoover. The area is buffeted by heavy suburban type
development with many travel amenities in the area. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Interstate 65 loses the auxiliary lane it acquired from
Interstate 459/Exit 250 to Exit 252. U.S. 31 continues northeast from Interstate 65 to Vestavia Hills,
Homewood (pop. 25,043), and the Elton B. Stephens Expressway. The highway continues to be multi-lane and
divided throughout south Birmingham. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Exit 252 departs Interstate 65 northbound. This exit also
serves Old Columbiana Road (Shelby County 99), a north-south road between Hoover and Alabama 149 at Homewood.
Downtown Birmingham is just nine miles to the north from this junction. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Traveling Interstate 65 involves many curves through the piedmont
of south Birmingham metro. Exit 254 with Alford Road is situated on one of those turns between Hoover and
Vestavia Hills. The foliage of the area overtakes several of the ground level guide signs of Interstate 65
through Hoover. Ahead Interstate 65 crosses into the city limits of Homewood. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Now within the city limits of Homewood, Interstate 65 sees
the 0.75 mile guide sign for Exit 255/Lakewood Drive. The underpass ahead is for Forest Brook Drive. The next
mile or so of Interstate 65 features scenic piedmont and forested frontage. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Concrete dominates the Interstate 65 pavement surface throughout
the Birmingham metropolitan area. This northbound scene reveals the 0.25 mile guide sign for Exit 255 as
the freeway descends toward the diamond interchange. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Interstate 65 northbound at the Exit 255/Lakeshore Drive
interchange. During the mid 1990s, Lakeshore Drive was extended west to Interstate 65, creating this interchange.
The roadway continues to the southwest as Lakeshore Parkway to Alabama 150 at the city of Bessemer (pop. 29,672).
Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Lakeshore Drive to the east becomes Alabama 149 at Green Springs
Highway. Alabama 149 enters the drive from the north and continues eastward to Samford University, U.S. 31,
and U.S. 280 at Mountain Brook. Interchanges exist along the route at both federal highway junctions.
Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| The second interchange of Interstate 65 within the city of
Homewood is that of Exit 256A with Oxmoor Road. This junction is a partial-cloverleaf interchange with
a pair of ramps serving Oxmoor Road in the southbound direction. The surface boulevard travels northeast
to U.S. 31/Montgomery Highway through central Homewood. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Oxmoor Road serves residential areas throughout west Homewood
before crossing into the city limits of Birmingham. The roadway serves the Oxmoor and Shannon communities of
the southwest parts of the city. Exit 258 meanwhile is the first Birmingham city interchange of Interstate 65
1.50 miles to the north. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Exit 258 is the first of ten Birmingham city exits along Interstate
65. The interchange serves Green Springs Avenue and George Ward Park. The surface street serves the Spaulding,
West End, and Powderly neighborhoods of west Birmingham. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| The central business district skyline comes into view at the
Exit 258 off-ramp of Interstate 65 northbound. Green Springs Avenue intersects Alabama 149/Green Springs
Highway just east of the freeway. Alabama 149 continues from there northward through George Ward Park to
Exit 259A. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Interstate 65 northbound crosses over Alabama 149/Green Springs
Highway, 0.75 miles to the south of Exit 259 for University Avenue. Alabama 149 becomes University at Exit 259
but is omitted from Interstate 65 related guide signs. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Although we have not yet reached Exit 259 (University Avenue) along northbound, this junction sign is in place two miles south of the Interstate 20/59 interchange. This interchange is one of the most heavily traveled locations in the metropolitan area, and it arguably one of the busiest in the state. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Exit 259 for Alabama 149/University Avenue departs Interstate
65 northbound. This interchange serves the Southside and Five Points neighborhoods of Birmingham and the
sprawling University of Alabama at Birmingham academic and medical campuses. The college is home to the largest
medical facility in the state and region and is the city's largest employer. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| North of Exit 259 is this view of the downtown Birmingham skyline as seen from Interstate 65 northbound. Birmingham boasts 242,820 citizens within its city limits, but that number is misleading, at the metropolitan area population totals near 800,000. Photo taken 02/11/01.
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| The northbound on-ramp from Alabama 149/University Avenue
becomes an exit-only lane for Exit 260B. The upcoming off-ramp is signed for U.S. 11 and Third Avenue North.
With that stated, U.S. 78 should also be included, as the federal highway overlaps with U.S. 11 from
Arkadelphia Road in the Owenton neighborhood eastward through downtown to 24th Street. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Interstate 65 northbound at Exit 260B/Third Avenue North.
There is no Exit 260A, so why is this signed as Exit 260B? Anyhow, the street grid of Birmingham is partitioned
by the Norfolk-Southern Railroad tracks that bisect the central business district. In other words, Third Avenue
North is three blocks north of the railroad division. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| The sign bridge located at the Exit 260B northbound off-ramp
features three panels for the upcoming Exit 261A/B junction with Interstate 20-59. The northbound return
ramp of Exit 260B merges onto Interstate 65 just south of that interchange from 6th Avenue North. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Interstate 65 northbound looking east at the central business
district of Birmingham. Birmingham currently is home to Alabama's tallest high rise. But that distinction will
change with the completion of the $160 million/800 foot RSA Tower in downtown Mobile. Photo taken near milepost
261 on 08/10/02.
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| In conjunction with an interchange refurbishment project at
"Malfunction Junction", ALDOT has installed new sign bridges along both Interstate 65 and Interstate 20-59.
This photo looks at a giant diagrammatical overhead for the pending junction. The interchange features
left-hand on and off-ramps which leads to its nickname. This panel tries to illustrate to drivers the
orientation of the junction. Photo taken by 09/24/03.
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| The new assembly depicted in the above photobox replaced a pair
of overhead guide sign structures. This photograph displays the now removed sign bridge that was situated just
north of the Exit 260B off-ramp. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| The last original button copy sign along Interstate 65 for
Exit 261 was this single panel for Interstate 20-59 northeast. The control cities for Exit 261A feature Atlanta
for Interstate 20 east and Gadsden for Interstate 59 north. The underpass carries 5th Avenue North beneath
Interstate 65. Photo taken 02/11/01.
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| The button copy sign for Exit 261A in its last year of life.
Interstate 20-59 travels from this junction eastward along a twin viaduct through the northern reaches of the
central business district. There are three off-ramps from Interstate 20-59 northeast for downtown. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| The aforementioned construction results in a mess of lane
markings of Interstate 65 north. Entering from the right is traffic from Sixth Avenue North. An auxiliary
lane forms here for Exit 261A. Exit 261B for Interstate 20-59 southwest will depart from an eventual
exit-only lane to the left. At present just two lanes are allocated for Interstate 65 north through the
upcoming interchange. Photo taken by 09/27/03.
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| When all is said and done, two lanes will be allocated for
Interstate 20-59 east and three lanes for Interstate 65 north. Also of interest within this interchange
is the fact that the northbound lanes cross over the southbound lanes to allow for the existing ramp configuration.
The overpass in the background is that of Interstate 65 southbound. Photo taken by 09/27/03.
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| A third new sign bridge is in place along Interstate 65
northbound at the left-hand departure of Exit 261B for Interstate 20-59 southwest. The paired Interstates
will overlap through to Meridian, Mississippi. Within the Birmingham metropolitan area, Interstate 20-59
passes through the city of Bessemer before exiting the area. Photo taken by 09/24/03.
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| The previous set of guide signs at the Exit 261A
partition from Interstate 65 northbound. The signs here are not original, but the lighting fixtures and brackets
are. The original two lane through lane configuration of Interstate 65 is shown pre-construction.
Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Featured on the Exit 261A ramp from Interstate 65 northbound
to Interstate 20-59 northeast is this sign bridge. Traffic traveling eastward is faced with the Exit 125A for
17th Street while merging onto the six lane mainline of the paired routes. The button copy signs here still
remained as of October 1, 2003. The Interstate 20-59 panel is the last in the area that featured full button
copy shields for those routes. Other assemblies in the area that retain button copy now see reflectorized
Interstate shields. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| This photograph is taken on the Interstate 20-59 northeast ramp
to Interstate 65 north. The northbound mainline is ahead and traffic for 16th Street (Exit 262A) is advised
to merge to the right. The folded diamond for Exit 262A is just one-half mile ahead. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Situated at the 19th Avenue North underpass at Village Creek
is the 0.25 mile guide sign for Exit 262B. Exit 262A of 16th Street has just past. That interchange features
no return access to Interstate 65 north and no access from Interstate 65 south. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| Exit 262A departs for Finley Avenue. This divided surface
boulevard travels between U.S. 78/Alabama 5 - Bankhead Highway east to U.S. 31 - Carraway Boulevard. The
route is signed as the preferred route to U.S. 78 for Corridor X traffic to Tupelo, Mississippi and Memphis,
Tennessee. The State Farmer's Market is also accessible from Finley Avenue west. Photo taken 09/24/03.
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| It is projected that by 2006 Corridor X will be complete
from the Mississippi State line to Interstate 65 in North Birmingham. When this project is complete,
Interstate 22 should be
christened along the route. This means that Finley Avenue will see a reduction in traffic as
the new freeway will tie into Interstate 65 just five miles to the north. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Exit 263 with 32nd Avenue serves the North Birmingham
neighborhood of the city. 19th Street parallels Interstate 65 to the north and provides for a slip-ramp to
return traffic to the freeway. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Interstate 65 Alabama northbound reassurance shield, posted just
beyond the Exit 263 off-ramp. Interstate 65 takes a short northeasterly turn adjacent to the North Birmingham
Municipal Golf Course. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| The final northbound interchange within the city limits of Birmingham
is Exit 264 at 41st Avenue. This east-west roadway serves the Sayreton neighborhood of the city. A cloverleaf
ramp facilitates movements from Interstate 65 northbound to the surface roadway. A truck plaza to the west
generates a significant amount of truck traffic at this interchange. Photo taken 09/27/03.
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| Interstate 65 departs the Exit 264 interchange and sees this
mileage sign for Fultondale (the next exit) and Huntsville. The freeway departs the city limits briefly only
to reemerge for a spell near the Exit 266 trumpet interchange at U.S. 31. It should be mentioned that a future
stack interchange with Interstate 22/Corridor X will be constructed within this stretch of freeway. The future
junction is the most expensive element of the route through the Heart of Dixie. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| One-half mile south of the U.S. 31 interchange at Exit 267.
This junction is one of two to serve the northern suburb of Fultondale (pop. 6,595). The northbound ramp to U.S.
31 sweeps to the northeast, crossing over U.S. 31 to merge onto the federal highway from the right.
Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| The trumpet interchange for U.S. 31 once was a temporary terminus
for Interstate 65. The last segment of the freeway to be completed in northern Alabama was the stretch between
Exits 266 and 281. While this portion of highway was unconstructed, traffic was diverted onto U.S. 31/Decatur
Highway through Fultondale and Gardendale (pop. 11,626). Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| Traffic from Exit 266 merges onto Interstate 65 northbound
adding a fourth auxiliary lane to the freeway. Walkers Chapel Road composes the next interchange (Exit 267) and
is one half mile to the north. The east-west highway travels between the Upper Coalsburg neighborhood of
Birmingham to Fultondale and U.S. 31 & New Castle Road. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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| A second reminder of the exit-only lane for Exit 267 is
afforded to northbound Interstate 65 motorists. The interchange itself is a partial-cloverleaf that features
tall grassy berms in the northwest quadrant of the junction. Interstate 65 departs Fultondale north of this
interchange. Photo taken 08/10/02.
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Page Updated October 8, 2003.
