Interstate 20 in Alabama
Encyclopedia
In Alabama
, Interstate 20 travels 214.7 miles through the center of the state. It enters the state from Mississippi
near York
, and travels northeastward through Tuscaloosa
and Birmingham
. At Birmingham, I-20 turns eastward and heads through Anniston
and Oxford
before crossing the Georgia
state line near Lebanon.
For more than half its 130 miles (209.2 km) distance, I-20 overlaps Interstate 59 from the Mississippi border to eastern Birmingham near Birmingham International Airport
. Mileage and exits on the concurrency are I-59's, although both routes have the same mileage for the Alabama duplex.
, Livingston
, and Eutaw
before reaching Tuscaloosa
.
At Tuscaloosa
, the route connects with the spur interstate Interstate 359
which travels northward into downtown Tuscaloosa and to the University of Alabama
.
From the Mississippi/Alabama state line to Tuscaloosa, Interstate 20/59 is a four lane route. While passing Tuscaloosa, the route briefly becomes six lanes but once again becomes four lanes east of exit 73.
From Tuscaloosa to Birmingham, the route continues on an east/northeast heading traveling through rolling forested terrain until reaching Interstate 459
southwest of Bessemer
. Most of this stretch is now a six-lane freeway and construction continues to widen the route just northeast of Tuscaloosa to six-lane capacity. This stretch also hosts the Mercedes auto plant which is a large employer of residents primarily from Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Bibb counties. Interstate 459 travels east and then northeast around the southern periphery of the Birmingham area before re-connecting first with Interstate 20 near Irondale
and then terminating at Interstate 59 near Trussville
. The Birmingham Northern Beltline Corridor X-1
which is slated to become Interstate 422 is to connect to I-20/59 at the Interstate 459 interchange, however project is still years away from completion.
After passing the Interstate 459
interchange, the route continues northeast through the Birmingham suburbs of Bessemer
, Fairfield
, and Hueytown
and entering Birmingham
near the Ensley community. The route continues east/northeast through downtown before reaching the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport where I-59 continues northeast toward Gadsden
and Interstate 20 turns eastward toward Atlanta
. Most of this stretch is through urban areas including passing near the U.S. Steel plant near Fairfield. Near Fairfield and visible from the Interstate looking north and northwest are several smokestacks which is all that remain of several large steelmills that used to dominate the Ensley community of Birmingham.
As Interstate 20/59 travels eastward just past the Arkadelphia Road exit in the East Thomas community, the highway rises to the top of East Thomas hill giving eastbound travelers an excellent view of the downtown Birmingham skyline just before reaching the interchange with Interstate 65
. This interchange is known locally as "Malfunction Junction" due to the fact that the eastbound and westbound lanes briefly cross each other and the route has exit ramps for Interstate 65 on both sides of the road which can cause confusion and accidents.
As Interstate 20/59 leave the downtown area, the route has an interchange with the Elton Stephens Expressway, also known locally as the Red Mountain Expressway, which travels south across the downtown area and into the southern Birmingham suburbs.
Once Interstate 20 turns away from Interstate 59, it begins an eastbound journey toward Georgia. The first two miles are a four-lane bridge of east Birmingham neighborhoods before reaching the shopping areas formerly known as Eastwood Mall and Century Plaza Mall. Eastwood Mall at its opening was the largest shopping mall in the Southeast while Century Plaza Mall was the first two level shopping mall in Birmingham. Eastwood Mall was razed in 2006 and in its places exists a Wal-Mart Supercenter and other retailers. Century Plaza closed in June 2009 and the future of the site is still in question.
Interstate 20 is a six-lane freeway from exit 132 to exit 147. This route travels through rolling suburban country and crosses Interstate 459 near Irondale.
East of exit 147 Interstate 20 once again becomes a four-lane route until mile marker 155. This eight-mile stretch is arguably the most dangerous stretch of interstate highway in Alabama. The terrain is significantly hilly as the route passing across the northeast to southwest ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. There are two significant uphill grades in each direction which slows down truck traffic. The posted speed limit in this eight-mile stretch is 55 mph. However, due to the heavy volume of truck traffic combined with speeding car traffic, accidents are frequent and sometimes deadly. This part of Interstate 20 is sometimes called "Bloody 20". There are plans by ALDOT to widen this stretch to six lanes and according to The Birmingham News
on July 31, 2009, bids were placed to widen the eight miles of mountainous terrain. A concrete median has already been installed in this stretch but once construction begins to widen the road, closings and delays will be common as significant blasting of rock formations will be required. US 78 can be used as a detour during times of accidents between exit 147 and exit 153 but US 78 travels concurrently with Interstate 20 between exits 153 and 156 and no parallel alternate route is available in this hilly area.
East of mile marker 155, the route once again becomes six lanes until reaching the Coosa River bridge near Riverside
. This bridge is scheduled to be replaced when the stretch between the Coosa River and mile marker 172 is widened to 6 lanes from 4 lanes. However, no timetable for this project has been announced. Exits 165 and 168 serve the Honda Motor Company which has a plant at Lincoln
. Exits 168 and 173 serve the Talladega Superspeedway
which hosts two NASCAR racing weeks each year. The terrain east of mile marker 155 until reaching mile marker 191 is the relatively flat Coosa River valley.
East of mile marker 172 until mile marker 178, the route is once again six lanes and east of mile marker 178 until mile marker 182 construction to widen the route to six lanes is underway with completion scheduled before the end of 2009. East of this area, Interstate 20 remains a 4 lane route until it reaches the Georgia state line (mile marker 215). The Anniston/Oxford area is served by exits 179, 185, 188, and 191.
Just east of exit 191 exists a significant uphill/downhill grade (uphill eastbound/downhill westbound) that is approximately two miles in length. Once again truck traffic is significantly slowed by this hill and causes occasional traffic backups. East of this incline, the route travels through generally rural forested rolling country until reaching the Georgia state line.
East of Birmingham, US 78 serves as the parallel US Highway.
and Riverside
in the early 1960s. Between the Jefferson/Tuscaloosa county line and Tuscaloosa (exit 73) in the mid-1960s.
Between Arkadelphia Road and Ensley Avenue (Birmingham) in the late 1960s.
A short segment from the Mississippi/Alabama border to Cuba, Alabama.
Early 1970s: between exit 73 and Epes, Alabama. between Riverside (exit 162) and Lincoln (exit 168), then to Anniston/Oxford (exit 185). Between Arkadelphia Road and downtown Birmingham. Between Ensley Avenue and Valley Road in Fairfield.
Mid-1970s: From 17th Street downtown Birmingham to US78 in Irondale. From Valley Road in Fairfield to 18th Street in Bessemer. From exit 185 to exit 199 at Heflin, Alabama.
Late 1970s and early 1980s: From Exit 199 to Exit 205 (Heflin, Alabama)....however, the remainder of the route eastbound to the Georgia line was complete but waited for Georgia to complete the section from Douglasville westward to the Alabama line before it could be opened.
From US 78 in Irondale to Leeds. From Epes, Alabama to Livingston, Alabama and then from Livingston to Cuba, Alabama.
By the mid-1980s the entire route was complete and open to traffic. Interstate 20 has no three-digit spur routes in Alabama, although at one time there was discussion of a spur northward from Oxford into Anniston which would also serve as a connection to the U.S. Army base at Fort McClellan
as well as to Gadsden
. But the closing of the base as well as a lack of population between Anniston and Gadsden ended any thought of such a route.
In Alabama's 1962 Democratic Primary Run-off, George Wallace carried every county except one: Jefferson County, the most populous in the state. Wallace vowed to prevent a cent of state highway funding to complete Interstate 20's Jefferson County segment, a promise he fulfilled, thus hastening Atlanta's rise to pre-eminence among Southern cities.
!County
!Location
!#
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|See Interstate 59
|-
|rowspan=8|Jefferson
|rowspan=4|Birmingham
|130A
|
|East end of I-59 overlap
|-
|130B
|
|Signed as exits 130A (south) and 130B (north) eastbound
|-
|132A
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|132B
|
|Signed as exit 132 westbound
|-
|rowspan=3|Irondale
|133
|
|
|-
|135
|
|
|-
|136
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Leeds
|140
|
|
|-
|rowspan=8|St. Clair
|144
|
|Signed as exits 144A (south) and 144B (north)
|-
|Moody
|147
|Brompton
|
|-
|
|152
|Cook Springs
|
|-
|
|153
|
|West end of US-78/SR-4 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Pell City
|156
|
|East end of US-78/SR-4 overlap
|-
|158
|
|Signed as exits 158A (north) and 158B (south) westbound
|-
|Riverside
|162
|
|
|-
|colspan=4 rowspan=2 align=center|Bridge over the Coosa River
(Logan Martin Lake
)
|-
|rowspan=5|Talladega
|-
|rowspan=2|Lincoln
|165
|Embry, Lincoln
|
|-
|168
|
|
|-
|
|173
|Eastaboga
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Oxford
|179
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Calhoun
|185
|
|
|-
|Anniston
|188
|
|
|-
|
|191
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Cleburne
|
|199
|
|
|-
|
|205
|
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|Bridge over the Tallapoosa River
|-
|
|210
|Ranburne
, Muscadine
|
|-
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Interstate 20 travels 214.7 miles through the center of the state. It enters the state from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
near York
York, Alabama
York is a city in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,854.-Geography:York is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, and travels northeastward through Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
and Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. At Birmingham, I-20 turns eastward and heads through Anniston
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
and Oxford
Oxford, Alabama
Oxford is a city in Calhoun and Talladega counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 14,592 at the 2000 census. Oxford is one of two principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
before crossing the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
state line near Lebanon.
For more than half its 130 miles (209.2 km) distance, I-20 overlaps Interstate 59 from the Mississippi border to eastern Birmingham near Birmingham International Airport
Birmingham International Airport (US)
Southwest Airlines carried the most passengers through BHM in 2007; transporting 1.14 million passengers, 35.6% of total BHM passengers. Additionally, Southwest Airlines operates BHM as a connecting airport for over 180 different flight pairs.Southwest uses Las Vegas and Phoenix to connect...
. Mileage and exits on the concurrency are I-59's, although both routes have the same mileage for the Alabama duplex.
Route description
After Interstate 20/59 enter Alabama from Mississippi, they travel concurrently northeastward across the Tombigbee River and Black Warrior River delta country which is generally low lying farmland until reaching Tuscaloosa. This area contains low population. US Highway 11 parallels this route from Mississippi northeastward while it passes through small towns like YorkYork, Alabama
York is a city in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,854.-Geography:York is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, Livingston
Livingston, Alabama
Livingston is a city in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,297. The city is the county seat of Sumter County.-Geography:Livingston is located at .According to the U.S...
, and Eutaw
Eutaw, Alabama
Eutaw is a city in Greene County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,878. The city is the county seat of Greene County and was named in honor of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas...
before reaching Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
.
At Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, the route connects with the spur interstate Interstate 359
Interstate 359
Interstate 359 is a part of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Alabama. It is a spur route that runs for entirely within the city limits of Tuscaloosa. Its termini are just south of I-20/I-59 interchange on the south side of town and U.S. Highway 43 in downtown Tuscaloosa. The...
which travels northward into downtown Tuscaloosa and to the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
.
From the Mississippi/Alabama state line to Tuscaloosa, Interstate 20/59 is a four lane route. While passing Tuscaloosa, the route briefly becomes six lanes but once again becomes four lanes east of exit 73.
From Tuscaloosa to Birmingham, the route continues on an east/northeast heading traveling through rolling forested terrain until reaching Interstate 459
Interstate 459
Interstate 459 is a bypass highway of Interstate 59 that is an alternate Interstate Highway around the southern sides of Birmingham, Alabama, Bessemer, Alabama, and several other cities and towns in Jefferson County. Interstate 459 lies entirely within Jefferson County, without exception...
southwest of Bessemer
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
. Most of this stretch is now a six-lane freeway and construction continues to widen the route just northeast of Tuscaloosa to six-lane capacity. This stretch also hosts the Mercedes auto plant which is a large employer of residents primarily from Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Bibb counties. Interstate 459 travels east and then northeast around the southern periphery of the Birmingham area before re-connecting first with Interstate 20 near Irondale
Irondale, Alabama
Irondale is a city adjacent to Birmingham, Alabama, United States northeast from Homewood and Mountain Brook. At the 2010 census the population was 12,349. The book Fried Green Tomatoes, by Irondale native Fannie Flagg, is loosely based around the town and the landmark Irondale Cafe, known as The...
and then terminating at Interstate 59 near Trussville
Trussville, Alabama
Trussville is a city in Jefferson and St. Clair counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 19,933 at the 2010 census. Trussville was ranked as number 56 out of 100 in Money Magazines Best Places to Live 2005.-Geography:...
. The Birmingham Northern Beltline Corridor X-1
Corridor X-1
Corridor X-1 or the Birmingham Northern Beltline is the proposed by-pass route around Birmingham, Alabama through northern and western Jefferson County to be completed by 2025...
which is slated to become Interstate 422 is to connect to I-20/59 at the Interstate 459 interchange, however project is still years away from completion.
After passing the Interstate 459
Interstate 459
Interstate 459 is a bypass highway of Interstate 59 that is an alternate Interstate Highway around the southern sides of Birmingham, Alabama, Bessemer, Alabama, and several other cities and towns in Jefferson County. Interstate 459 lies entirely within Jefferson County, without exception...
interchange, the route continues northeast through the Birmingham suburbs of Bessemer
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
, Fairfield
Fairfield, Alabama
Fairfield is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover Metropolitan Area. The population was 12,381 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the Census estimates the population to be 11,547.-History:...
, and Hueytown
Hueytown, Alabama
Hueytown is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 16,105.It was the home of the legendary NASCAR Alabama Gang...
and entering Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
near the Ensley community. The route continues east/northeast through downtown before reaching the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport where I-59 continues northeast toward Gadsden
Gadsden, Alabama
The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
and Interstate 20 turns eastward toward Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Most of this stretch is through urban areas including passing near the U.S. Steel plant near Fairfield. Near Fairfield and visible from the Interstate looking north and northwest are several smokestacks which is all that remain of several large steelmills that used to dominate the Ensley community of Birmingham.
As Interstate 20/59 travels eastward just past the Arkadelphia Road exit in the East Thomas community, the highway rises to the top of East Thomas hill giving eastbound travelers an excellent view of the downtown Birmingham skyline just before reaching the interchange with Interstate 65
Interstate 65
Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
. This interchange is known locally as "Malfunction Junction" due to the fact that the eastbound and westbound lanes briefly cross each other and the route has exit ramps for Interstate 65 on both sides of the road which can cause confusion and accidents.
As Interstate 20/59 leave the downtown area, the route has an interchange with the Elton Stephens Expressway, also known locally as the Red Mountain Expressway, which travels south across the downtown area and into the southern Birmingham suburbs.
Once Interstate 20 turns away from Interstate 59, it begins an eastbound journey toward Georgia. The first two miles are a four-lane bridge of east Birmingham neighborhoods before reaching the shopping areas formerly known as Eastwood Mall and Century Plaza Mall. Eastwood Mall at its opening was the largest shopping mall in the Southeast while Century Plaza Mall was the first two level shopping mall in Birmingham. Eastwood Mall was razed in 2006 and in its places exists a Wal-Mart Supercenter and other retailers. Century Plaza closed in June 2009 and the future of the site is still in question.
Interstate 20 is a six-lane freeway from exit 132 to exit 147. This route travels through rolling suburban country and crosses Interstate 459 near Irondale.
East of exit 147 Interstate 20 once again becomes a four-lane route until mile marker 155. This eight-mile stretch is arguably the most dangerous stretch of interstate highway in Alabama. The terrain is significantly hilly as the route passing across the northeast to southwest ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. There are two significant uphill grades in each direction which slows down truck traffic. The posted speed limit in this eight-mile stretch is 55 mph. However, due to the heavy volume of truck traffic combined with speeding car traffic, accidents are frequent and sometimes deadly. This part of Interstate 20 is sometimes called "Bloody 20". There are plans by ALDOT to widen this stretch to six lanes and according to The Birmingham News
The Birmingham News
The Birmingham News is the principal daily newspaper for Birmingham, Alabama, United States, and the largest newspaper in Alabama. The paper is owned by Advance Publications...
on July 31, 2009, bids were placed to widen the eight miles of mountainous terrain. A concrete median has already been installed in this stretch but once construction begins to widen the road, closings and delays will be common as significant blasting of rock formations will be required. US 78 can be used as a detour during times of accidents between exit 147 and exit 153 but US 78 travels concurrently with Interstate 20 between exits 153 and 156 and no parallel alternate route is available in this hilly area.
East of mile marker 155, the route once again becomes six lanes until reaching the Coosa River bridge near Riverside
Riverside, Alabama
Riverside is a town in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,564.-Geography:Riverside is located at .According to the U.S...
. This bridge is scheduled to be replaced when the stretch between the Coosa River and mile marker 172 is widened to 6 lanes from 4 lanes. However, no timetable for this project has been announced. Exits 165 and 168 serve the Honda Motor Company which has a plant at Lincoln
Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,577. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War.-Geography:...
. Exits 168 and 173 serve the Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
which hosts two NASCAR racing weeks each year. The terrain east of mile marker 155 until reaching mile marker 191 is the relatively flat Coosa River valley.
East of mile marker 172 until mile marker 178, the route is once again six lanes and east of mile marker 178 until mile marker 182 construction to widen the route to six lanes is underway with completion scheduled before the end of 2009. East of this area, Interstate 20 remains a 4 lane route until it reaches the Georgia state line (mile marker 215). The Anniston/Oxford area is served by exits 179, 185, 188, and 191.
Just east of exit 191 exists a significant uphill/downhill grade (uphill eastbound/downhill westbound) that is approximately two miles in length. Once again truck traffic is significantly slowed by this hill and causes occasional traffic backups. East of this incline, the route travels through generally rural forested rolling country until reaching the Georgia state line.
East of Birmingham, US 78 serves as the parallel US Highway.
History
Between LeedsLeeds, Alabama
Leeds is a tri-county municipality located in Jefferson, St. Clair, and Shelby Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham. As of the 2009 population estimate, the population of the city is about 11,474.-History:...
and Riverside
Riverside, Alabama
Riverside is a town in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,564.-Geography:Riverside is located at .According to the U.S...
in the early 1960s. Between the Jefferson/Tuscaloosa county line and Tuscaloosa (exit 73) in the mid-1960s.
Between Arkadelphia Road and Ensley Avenue (Birmingham) in the late 1960s.
A short segment from the Mississippi/Alabama border to Cuba, Alabama.
Early 1970s: between exit 73 and Epes, Alabama. between Riverside (exit 162) and Lincoln (exit 168), then to Anniston/Oxford (exit 185). Between Arkadelphia Road and downtown Birmingham. Between Ensley Avenue and Valley Road in Fairfield.
Mid-1970s: From 17th Street downtown Birmingham to US78 in Irondale. From Valley Road in Fairfield to 18th Street in Bessemer. From exit 185 to exit 199 at Heflin, Alabama.
Late 1970s and early 1980s: From Exit 199 to Exit 205 (Heflin, Alabama)....however, the remainder of the route eastbound to the Georgia line was complete but waited for Georgia to complete the section from Douglasville westward to the Alabama line before it could be opened.
From US 78 in Irondale to Leeds. From Epes, Alabama to Livingston, Alabama and then from Livingston to Cuba, Alabama.
By the mid-1980s the entire route was complete and open to traffic. Interstate 20 has no three-digit spur routes in Alabama, although at one time there was discussion of a spur northward from Oxford into Anniston which would also serve as a connection to the U.S. Army base at Fort McClellan
Fort McClellan
Fort McClellan, originally Camp McClellan, was a United States Army post located adjacent to the city of Anniston, Alabama. During World War II, it was one of the largest U.S. Army installations, training an estimated half-million troops...
as well as to Gadsden
Gadsden, Alabama
The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
. But the closing of the base as well as a lack of population between Anniston and Gadsden ended any thought of such a route.
In Alabama's 1962 Democratic Primary Run-off, George Wallace carried every county except one: Jefferson County, the most populous in the state. Wallace vowed to prevent a cent of state highway funding to complete Interstate 20's Jefferson County segment, a promise he fulfilled, thus hastening Atlanta's rise to pre-eminence among Southern cities.
Exit list
{|class="wikitable"!County
!Location
!#
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|See Interstate 59
|-
|rowspan=8|Jefferson
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
|rowspan=4|Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
|130A
|
|East end of I-59 overlap
|-
|130B
|
|Signed as exits 130A (south) and 130B (north) eastbound
|-
|132A
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|132B
|
|Signed as exit 132 westbound
|-
|rowspan=3|Irondale
Irondale, Alabama
Irondale is a city adjacent to Birmingham, Alabama, United States northeast from Homewood and Mountain Brook. At the 2010 census the population was 12,349. The book Fried Green Tomatoes, by Irondale native Fannie Flagg, is loosely based around the town and the landmark Irondale Cafe, known as The...
|133
|
|
|-
|135
|
|
|-
|136
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Leeds
Leeds, Alabama
Leeds is a tri-county municipality located in Jefferson, St. Clair, and Shelby Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham. As of the 2009 population estimate, the population of the city is about 11,474.-History:...
|140
|
|
|-
|rowspan=8|St. Clair
St. Clair County, Alabama
St. Clair County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.It is a part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of General Arthur St...
|144
|
|Signed as exits 144A (south) and 144B (north)
|-
|Moody
Moody, Alabama
Moody is a city in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 8,053.-Geography:Moody is located at .According to the U.S...
|147
|Brompton
|
|-
|
|152
|Cook Springs
|
|-
|
|153
|
|West end of US-78/SR-4 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Pell City
Pell City, Alabama
Pell City is a city in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. The city is the county seat of St. Clair County along with Ashville. At the 2000 census the population was 9,565. At the 2010 census, the city-limit population jumped to 12,695. -Geography:...
|156
|
|East end of US-78/SR-4 overlap
|-
|158
|
|Signed as exits 158A (north) and 158B (south) westbound
|-
|Riverside
Riverside, Alabama
Riverside is a town in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,564.-Geography:Riverside is located at .According to the U.S...
|162
|
|
|-
|colspan=4 rowspan=2 align=center|Bridge over the Coosa River
Coosa River
The Coosa River is a tributary of the Alabama River in the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia. The river is about long altogether.The Coosa River is one of Alabama's most developed rivers...
(Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin Lake is located in east central Alabama on the Coosa River approximately east of Birmingham, Alabama. This Coosa River reservoir was built in 1965 by Alabama Power Company. The lake, nicknamed Lake of a Thousand Coves by locals, has of shoreline along its length sandwiched between...
)
|-
|rowspan=5|Talladega
Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
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|rowspan=2|Lincoln
Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,577. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War.-Geography:...
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|Embry, Lincoln
Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,577. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War.-Geography:...
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|Eastaboga
Eastaboga, Alabama
Eastaboga is a place on the border of Talladega and Calhoun counties in the U.S. state of Alabama.Eastaboga is located at .-External links:*...
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|rowspan=2|Oxford
Oxford, Alabama
Oxford is a city in Calhoun and Talladega counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 14,592 at the 2000 census. Oxford is one of two principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
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|rowspan=3|Calhoun
Calhoun County, Alabama
Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of John C. Calhoun, famous member of the United States Senate from South Carolina. As of 2010 the population was 118,572. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
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|Anniston
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
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|rowspan=4|Cleburne
Cleburne County, Alabama
Cleburne County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Major General Patrick Cleburne, of Arkansas. As of 2010 the population was 14,972. Its county seat is Heflin.- History :...
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|colspan=4 align=center|Bridge over the Tallapoosa River
Tallapoosa River
The Tallapoosa River runs from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia, in the United States, southward and westward into Alabama. It is formed by the confluence of McClendon Creek and Mud Creek in Paulding County, Georgia. Lake Martin at Alexander City, Alabama is a large and...
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|Ranburne
Ranburne, Alabama
Ranburne is a town in Cleburne County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 459.-Geography:Ranburne is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of .None of the area is covered with water....
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