State Route 133 (Alabama)
Encyclopedia
State Route 133 or SR-133 is a mostly multi-lane highway and is a primary artery through Muscle Shoals
and Florence
in northwest Alabama
. The route begins at SR-20
(Alternate US-72) just south of Muscle Shoals. It runs north along Wilson Dam Road, becoming a six-lane highway at Avalon Avenue. It crosses the Tennessee River
and enters Florence on the new Patton Island Bridge. From there, it narrows to four lanes and runs east along Veterans Drive to Cox Creek Parkway. It follows Cox Creek Parkway as it forms a northern loop around the city of Florence, though there is extensive retail development along most of the route. SR-133 and Cox Creek Parkway end northwest of Florence, again at the intersection of SR-20 (known locally as Savannah Highway).
Reservation. Here it intersected Reservation Road, running east to the Dam. Crossing the Dam it would have entered Florence and followed Wilson Dam Road, just east of the current Cox Creek Parkway alignment. It ended at Huntsville Road, which at the time carried U.S. Highway 72.
In the mid-1950s, U.S. 72 in Florence shifted to a new alignment on Florence Boulevard, about one-half of a mile north of Huntsville Road. It is unclear, but SR-133 may have taken Middle Road to between Huntsville Road and Florence Blvd. to reach U.S. 72. Also around this time, SR-20 south of Muscle Shoals shifted southward to a new routing, extending the route south about 300 yards.
Big changes occurred in the early 1970s with the construction of Cox Creek Parkway, a northern loop for the city of Florence. The new road placed SR-133 on a four-lane highway for the first time. From Wilson Dam, Cox Creek Parkway replaced Wilson Dam Road to carry SR-133 to Florence Blvd. From there, the route was extended some seven miles along the entirety of Cox Creek Parkway.
In 2002 the Patton Island Bridge opened, forming a new Tennessee River crossing one mile west of Wilson Dam. As part of a long-term "Patton Island Corridor", SR-133 was shifted to this new six-lane bridge. The move necessitated construction of an overpass on Wilson Dam Road on the TVA Reservation. SR-133's routing on Reservation Road and Wilson Dam itself was removed. After crossing the new bridge into Florence, the route turned east on Veterans Drive to rejoin Cox Creek Parkway just north of Wilson Dam.
In Colbert County, Wilson Dam Road continues to be upgraded to a multi-lane highway. As of late 2008, the road is six lanes from the Tennessee River south through Muscle Shoals to Avalon Avenue. Plans call for the highway to eventually be four-laned from Avalon Avenue south to SR-20; however, those plans are on hold after landowners' disputed the State of Alabama's offers to purchase their land along the proposed ROW.
In Lauderdale County the final extension of the project, from Huntsville Road to Helton Drive, opened on October 16, 2008. This included the opening of an overpass and interchange at the intersection with Florence Blvd. (U.S. 43/U.S. 72). The road is six lanes from the Patton Island Bridge north to the connection with Helton Drive and its intersection with Hermitage Drive. The routing of SR-133 on this new portion is unclear, however; signage still points SR-133 to Veterans Drive. It is possible that SR-133 will eventually be routed on this new roadway to Helton Drive, then follow Helton Drive to Cox Creek Parkway.
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Muscle Shoals is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of the city to be 12,846. The city is included in The Shoals MSA. It is famous for its contributions to American popular music.-Geography:Muscle Shoals is located...
and Florence
Florence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
in northwest Alabama
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...
. The route begins at SR-20
State Route 20 (Alabama)
State Route 20 ' runs from the Tennessee state line northwest of Florence, Alabama, east to I-65 east of Decatur in the northwestern Alabama...
(Alternate US-72) just south of Muscle Shoals. It runs north along Wilson Dam Road, becoming a six-lane highway at Avalon Avenue. It crosses the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
and enters Florence on the new Patton Island Bridge. From there, it narrows to four lanes and runs east along Veterans Drive to Cox Creek Parkway. It follows Cox Creek Parkway as it forms a northern loop around the city of Florence, though there is extensive retail development along most of the route. SR-133 and Cox Creek Parkway end northwest of Florence, again at the intersection of SR-20 (known locally as Savannah Highway).
History
SR-133 was likely formed around 1927 with the completion of Wilson Dam on the Tennessee River and the opening of it to automobile traffic. At this time, the route would have started at an old alignment of SR-20 just a few hundred yards north of its current alignment. It followed Wilson Dam Road north through Muscle Shoals to the TVATennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
Reservation. Here it intersected Reservation Road, running east to the Dam. Crossing the Dam it would have entered Florence and followed Wilson Dam Road, just east of the current Cox Creek Parkway alignment. It ended at Huntsville Road, which at the time carried U.S. Highway 72.
In the mid-1950s, U.S. 72 in Florence shifted to a new alignment on Florence Boulevard, about one-half of a mile north of Huntsville Road. It is unclear, but SR-133 may have taken Middle Road to between Huntsville Road and Florence Blvd. to reach U.S. 72. Also around this time, SR-20 south of Muscle Shoals shifted southward to a new routing, extending the route south about 300 yards.
Big changes occurred in the early 1970s with the construction of Cox Creek Parkway, a northern loop for the city of Florence. The new road placed SR-133 on a four-lane highway for the first time. From Wilson Dam, Cox Creek Parkway replaced Wilson Dam Road to carry SR-133 to Florence Blvd. From there, the route was extended some seven miles along the entirety of Cox Creek Parkway.
In 2002 the Patton Island Bridge opened, forming a new Tennessee River crossing one mile west of Wilson Dam. As part of a long-term "Patton Island Corridor", SR-133 was shifted to this new six-lane bridge. The move necessitated construction of an overpass on Wilson Dam Road on the TVA Reservation. SR-133's routing on Reservation Road and Wilson Dam itself was removed. After crossing the new bridge into Florence, the route turned east on Veterans Drive to rejoin Cox Creek Parkway just north of Wilson Dam.
Plans
As part of the on-going Patton Island Corridor development, changes will be made to SR-133.In Colbert County, Wilson Dam Road continues to be upgraded to a multi-lane highway. As of late 2008, the road is six lanes from the Tennessee River south through Muscle Shoals to Avalon Avenue. Plans call for the highway to eventually be four-laned from Avalon Avenue south to SR-20; however, those plans are on hold after landowners' disputed the State of Alabama's offers to purchase their land along the proposed ROW.
In Lauderdale County the final extension of the project, from Huntsville Road to Helton Drive, opened on October 16, 2008. This included the opening of an overpass and interchange at the intersection with Florence Blvd. (U.S. 43/U.S. 72). The road is six lanes from the Patton Island Bridge north to the connection with Helton Drive and its intersection with Hermitage Drive. The routing of SR-133 on this new portion is unclear, however; signage still points SR-133 to Veterans Drive. It is possible that SR-133 will eventually be routed on this new roadway to Helton Drive, then follow Helton Drive to Cox Creek Parkway.