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U.S. Route 31 in Alabama

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 31 in Alabama. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 31.
U.S. Route 31 marker
U.S. Route 31
Map
US 31 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ALDOT
Length386.449 mi[1] (621.929 km)
Existed1926 (1926)–present
Major junctions
South end US 90 / US 98 in Spanish Fort
Major intersections
North end I-65 / US 31 at Tennessee state line near Ardmore
Location
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountiesBaldwin, Escambia, Conecuh, Butler, Lowndes, Montgomery, Elmore, Autauga, Chilton, Shelby, Jefferson, Blount, Cullman, Morgan, Limestone
Highway system
  • Alabama State Highway System
← SR 30→ SR 32
← SR 2SR 3→ SR 4
A sign designating an exit to US 31 on the concurrency of Interstates 20 and 59. It was replaced in 2020.

U.S. Route 31 (US 31) in Alabama runs north–south up through the heart of Alabama for 386.449 miles (621.929 km). US 31 proper begins at a junction with US 90 and US 98 in Spanish Fort and exits the state into Tennessee running concurrently with Interstate 65 (I-65) near Ardmore. US 31 enters the limits of major cities Montgomery, Birmingham, and Decatur. Throughout the state, with the exception of its concurrency with I-65 north of Athens, US 31 runs concurrently with the unsigned State Route 3 (SR 3). Today, aside from portions through major towns and cities, US 31 is largely a rural two-lane highway. The route has largely been supplanted by I-65, with which it has eight junctions and two concurrencies.

Route description

[edit]

As with several other U.S. Routes in Alabama, U.S. Route 31 is mostly parallel to Interstate 65 throughout its journey across the state, servicing several towns and cities Interstate 65 bypasses.

Upon leaving US Route 90 and US Route 98 in Spanish Fort, the route heads due east towards the town of Stapleton, where it joins Alabama State Route 59 (Gulf Shores Parkway). About eleven miles later, the route leaves the Gulf Shores Parkway right-of-way and follows a town square around the Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette. Leaving Bay Minette, the route winds northeast, passing fairly close to the northwestern corner of Florida. Upon crossing into Escambia County, the route winds east through Atmore before dipping south into Flomaton. Several hundred feet from the state line with Florida, the route gains U.S. Route 29, which joins it in a fifteen-mile concurrency northeast to Brewton. After losing U.S. 29 in Brewton, the route heads directly north, crossing the county line into Conecuh County. A few miles later, the route turns to be parallel with Interstate 65.

Reaching U.S. Route 84 just east of Interstate 65, U.S. Routes 31/84 travel into Evergreen, deviating from I-65. East of Evergreen, U.S. Route 84 heads southeast towards Andalusia, while U.S. Route 31 winds back north into Butler County. In far southeastern Butler County, the route engages in a fairly short concurrency with Alabama State Route 55. From the end of this concurrency in Georgiana north to Tennessee and beyond, U.S. 31 roughly parallels I-65. Heading northeast, U.S. 31 passes through Greenville. After cutting a corner of Lowndes County, U.S. 31 enters Montgomery County and crosses over I-65 for the first time.

After crossing U.S. Route 80 - which follows the historic Selma to Montgomery March Corridor - the route turns onto a beltway routing around western Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. At this point, it passes within a few miles of its child routes U.S. Route 331 and U.S. Route 231. After crossing the Alabama River, the route cuts a corner of Elmore County and enters Autauga County. In Prattville, the route has its junction with U.S. Route 82. It crosses Interstate 65 again a few miles later, quickly entering into Chilton County.

The route reaches its next concurrency with Alabama State Route 22, which it carries across Interstate 65 and into downtown Clanton, the geographical center of Alabama. After leaving SR-22, it heads north into Shelby County. After Calera, the route crosses I-65, serving Saginaw. It yet again crosses I-65 into the town of Alabaster. It enters Jefferson County a few miles later, home of Birmingham (AL).

In southern Jefferson County, the route reaches Hoover. At this point, the route crosses Interstate 459 - a partial beltway around Birmingham. In Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham, the route crosses Interstate 65 yet again, its last crossing in the county. Snaking up to Homewood, another suburb of Birmingham, the route reaches U.S. Route 280. At its interchange with U.S. 280, the route becomes the Red Mountain Expressway, descending down Red Mountain. Descending onto a viaduct above eastern Birmingham, the route has its junctions with U.S. Route 78 and U.S. Route 11 before reaching their Interstate parallels, the concurrent Interstate 20 and Interstate 59, which is also the western terminus of U.S. Route 280. At this junction, the route dips down out of the viaduct onto surface streets, passing through the northern suburbs of Birmingham. A few miles later, the route has its junction with Interstate 22; this is also a dual junction with Interstate 65, but not a crossing. At this point, the route leaves Birmingham.

Winding through Fultondale, Gardendale, Morris, and Warrior, the route serves the communities of hilly northern Jefferson County. After crossing the county line into Blount County, the route has a junction with Alabama State Route 160 immediately followed by a Parclo Interchange with Interstate 65. At this point, U.S. Route 31 enters its first concurrency with Interstate 65. A few miles later in Smoke Rise, the route leaves Interstate 65 at a trumpet interchange. Following an arc, the route winds through a ridge cut, passes through Bangor, and crosses the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River into Cullman County.

Immediately entering Garden City, the route slowly starts to arc back towards I-65. In Hanceville, the route passes Wallace State University and also passes within a few miles of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Winding north out of Hanceville, the route crosses into the city limits of Cullman. A few miles into the city limits, the route engages in a concurrency with Alabama State Route 69. About two miles later, it reaches U.S. Route 278, which is also the end of the SR-69 concurrency. Heading north out of town, the route crosses SR-157, the University of North Alabama Highway. After descending down into Morgan County, the route yet again crosses Interstate 65. Heading north, the route passes through Hartselle before serving Decatur. Just south of the Tennessee River, the route enters its next concurrency with U.S. 72 Alt.

Crossing the Tennessee River into Limestone County, the route has a Directional-T Interchange and loses U.S. 72 Alt, heading north out of the junction. Passing by Calhoun Community College, the route heads its way to Athens (AL). At this point, it has a Parclo Interchange with U.S. Route 72. A few miles later, it returns to a concurrent state with Interstate 65, which it follows all the way to one mile above the state line with Tennessee.

Major intersections

[edit]
CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
BaldwinSpanish Fort0.0000.000 US 90 (SR 16) / US 98 (SR 42 / Spanish Fort Boulevard)Southern terminus
0.2090.336
 SR 225 north		Southern terminus of SR 225
Daphne3.6345.848


 SR 181 south / CR 27 north (Jimmy Faulkner Drive) to I-10		Northern terminus of SR 181
​9.81915.802
 SR 59 south – Loxley, Gulf Shores		Southern end of SR 59 overlap
Bay Minette20.44632.905

 SR 59 north (McMeans Avenue) to I-65 / D'Olive Street		Northern end of SR 59 overlap; To I-65 signed northbound only
21.13534.013
 SR 287 north (Hand Avenue) / Hand Avenue		Southern terminus of SR 287
EscambiaAtmore41.21266.324
 SR 21 (Main Street) to I-65 – Pensacola, Monroeville, Coastal Alabama Community College		Cities signed southbound only
Flomaton55.46089.254

 US 29 south / SR 113 south (Sidney E. Manning Boulevard) – Pensacola		Southern end of US 29 / SR 113 overlap
56.60191.090

 SR 113 north to I-65		Northern end of SR 113 overlap
Brewton69.320111.560

 US 29 north (SR 15 north / Mildred Street) / SR 41 (South Nicholas Avenue) to I-65 – Andalusia, Repton		Northern end of US 29 overlap; southern terminus of SR 15; destinations signed southbound only
Conecuh​93.004149.675

 US 84 west (SR 12 west) to I-65		Southern end of US 84 / SR 12 overlap
Evergreen95.670153.966

 SR 83 north (Cooper Street) to I-65 – Midway		Southern terminus of SR 83
​101.861163.929
 US 84 east (SR 12 east) – Andalusia		Northern end of US 84 / SR 12 overlap
ButlerMcKenzie115.515185.903
 SR 55 south / South Garland Road – Andalusia, McKenzie		Southern end of SR 55 overlap
​119.5[2]192.3
 SR 55 north / Kokomo Road		Northern end of SR 55 overlap
Georgiana122.910197.804 SR 106 – Brantley, Georgiana
​134.128215.858
 SR 185 north (Aztec Road) – Greenville		Southern end of SR 185 Truck overlap; southern terminus of SR 185; southern terminus of SR 185 Truck
Greenville138.942223.605



 SR 10 / SR 185 Truck north (Luverne Highway / East Commerce Street) to SR 10 Truck – Luverne, Greenville		Northern end of SR 185 Truck overlap
Lowndes​151.213243.354
 SR 185 south / CR 4		Northern terminus of SR 185
​157.593253.621
 SR 97 north – Hayneville		Southern end of SR 97 overlap
Davenport159.063255.987

 SR 97 south to US 331		Northern end of SR 97 overlap
MontgomeryHope Hull174.046280.100 I-65 – Montgomery, MobileI-65 exit 164
Montgomery177.262285.276

 US 80 (SR 8 / Selma Highway) / SR 21 south to I-65 – Selma		Southern end of SR 21 overlap; interchange on US 80
178.494287.258





 SR 21 north (West South Boulevard) to I-65 / I-85 / US 82 / US 231 / US 331 / Mobile Highway – Union Springs		Northern end of SR 21 overlap; destination signed southbound only
Montgomery–Elmore
county line		​186.018–
186.304		299.367–
299.827		Bridge over the Alabama River
Elmore
 No major junctions
AutaugaPrattville188.271302.993

 US 82 (SR 6) to SR 14 / I-65
​196.581316.366 I-65 – Montgomery, BirminghamI-65 exit 186
ChiltonMountain Creek208.882336.163
 SR 143 south – Marbury		Northern terminus of SR 143
​213.408343.447
 SR 22 east – Alexander City		Southern end of SR 22 overlap
Clanton217.466349.978 I-65 – Birmingham, MontgomeryI-65 exit 208
221.710356.808

 SR 22 west / SR 145 north (Fourth Avenue North) – Selma		Northern end of SR 22 overlap; southern terminus of SR 145
Jemison232.684374.469
 SR 191 south / CR 42 (Church Street) / Church Street – Maplesville		Northern terminus of SR 191
​234.790377.858
 SR 155 north – Montevallo		Southern terminus of SR 155
ShelbyCalera242.795390.741
 SR 25 south / 18th Avenue		Southern end of SR 25 overlap
242.955390.998

 SR 25 north (Main Street) to I-65		Northern end of SR 25 overlap
245.674395.374 I-65 – Montgomery, BirminghamI-65 exit 231
Calera246.670396.977

 SR 70 east / CR 22 west – Columbiana		Southern terminus of SR 70
Alabaster252.935407.059 I-65 – Birmingham, MontgomeryI-65 exit 238
253.652408.213

 SR 119 south (Montevallo Road) / CR 11 north (Simmsville Road) – Montevallo, Brierfield State Park		Southern end of SR 119 overlap
Pelham260.473419.191

 SR 119 north (Cahaba Valley Road) to I-65 / Commerce Parkway		Northern end of SR 119 overlap
261.493420.832


 SR 261 south (Helena Road) / CR 17 north (Valleydale Road) to I-65 – Helena		Northern terminus of SR 261
JeffersonHoover263.732424.436
 SR 150 west (John Hawkins Parkway) / Lorna Road		Eastern terminus of SR 150
​264.277425.313 I-459 – Atlanta, Gadsden, TuscaloosaI-459 exit 13
Hoover–Vestavia Hills line266.187428.386 I-65 / Lorna Road / Columbiana Road – Montgomery, BirminghamI-65 exit 252
Homewood270.698435.646 SR 149
270[3]430 Brookwood Medical Center DriveInterchange
270.698435.646 SR 149 (Shades Creek Parkway / Lakeshore Drive)Interchange
271.7[4]437.3Southern end of Red Mountain Expressway
272.076437.864
 US 280 east (SR 38 East) / Rosedale Drive – Sylacauga, Homewood		Southern end of US 280 overlap; interchange; destinations signed southbound only; western terminus of unsigned SR 38
Birmingham272.5[5]438.521st Avenue SouthSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
272.9[6]439.2Highland Avenue / Arlington AvenueNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
273.6[7]440.3University Boulevard
274.162441.221
 To US 78 (SR 4 / 3rd-4th Avenue South)
274.234441.337 US 11 (SR 7 / First Avenue North)Northbound exit only
274.4[8]441.62nd Avenue NorthNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; entrance ramp from 3rd Avenue North
275.407443.225
 I-20 / I-59 to I-65 – Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa		No access from US 31 south to I-20 / 59 or from I-20 east / I-59 north to US 31 north; northern end of US 280 overlap; western terminus of US 280; I-20 / 59 exit 126A
275.1[9]442.7Northern end of Red Mountain Expressway
276.762445.405

 SR 378 west (Finley Boulevard) to I-65 / Finley Boulevard		Eastern terminus of SR 378

 I-22 west – Memphis		Future interchange (under construction); future eastern terminus of I-22
279.5449.8 I-65 – Huntsville, BirminghamI-65 southbound exit 265B
​ I-422Future interchange exit 19; temporary western terminus of future I-422 (funded, to be completed by 2028)[10]
Blount​299.707482.332
 SR 160 east – Hayden		Western terminus of SR 160
​299.823
284.361		482.518
457.635
 I-65 south / Lester Doss Road / White Oak Trail – Birmingham		Southern end of I-65 overlap; I-65 exit 284; mileposts switch from SR 3 to I-65
​287.370
302.832		462.477
487.361
 I-65 north – Cullman, Decatur		Northern end of I-65 overlap; I-65 exit 287; mileposts switch from I-65 to SR 3
CullmanHanceville317.460510.902

 SR 91 (Arkadelphia Road) to I-65 / US 278 (SR 74) – Holly Pond, Colony		Destinations signed southbound only
Cullman325.356523.610

 SR 69 south (Cherokee Avenue SW) to I-65 / King Edward Street NW		Southern end of SR 69 overlap
326.569525.562
 US 278 (SR 74) / SR 69 north (Third Street SW)		Northern end of SR 69 overlap
328.918529.342


 SR 157 to I-65 / US 278 north (SR 74) – Gadsden, Moulton
Morgan​337.073542.466 I-65 – Nashville, BirminghamI-65 exit 318; Nashville signed southbound only
Hartselle346.313557.337
 SR 36 (Main Street West) to I-65 – Danville
Decatur354.958571.250
 SR 67 (Point Mallard Parkway / Beltline Road SW) to I-65 – Priceville, Tuscumbia
358.394576.779

 US 72 Alt. west (Corridor V / Wilson Street NE) / SR 20 / Wilson Street NE		Southern end of US 72 Alt. / SR 20 overlap; no access from US 31 north to US 72 Alt./SR 20 west
Morgan–Limestone
county line		358.731577.322Captain William J. Hudson "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridges over Tennessee River
Limestone360.377579.971




 US 72 Alt. east (Corridor V) / SR 20 east to I-65 / I-565		Northern end of US 72 Alt. / SR 20 overlap
Athens371.264597.491 US 72 (SR 2) – Athens, HuntsvilleInterchange
372.793599.952
 SR 251 north (Pryor Street) / Pryor Street – Ardmore		Southern terminus of SR 251
373.647601.327

 SR 99 north (East Elm Street) to SR 127 / Sportsplex Loop		Southern terminus of SR 99
374.377
354.157		602.501
569.960
 I-65 south – Birmingham		Southern end of I-65 overlap; northern end of SR 3 overlap; northern terminus of SR 3; I-65 exit 354; mileposts switch from SR 3 to I-65
​360.918580.841ElkmontI-65 exit 361
​364.826587.131
 SR 53 south – Ardmore		Northern terminus of SR 53; I-65 exit 365
​366.229589.388

 I-65 north / US 31 north – Nashville		Continuation into Tennessee
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Alabama Department of Transportation Milepost/General Highway Maps". Alabama Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  3. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  6. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  8. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  9. ^ "U.S. Route 31 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Gov. Kay Ivey: Construction will resume soon on Northern Beltline". MSN. Retrieved April 13, 2023.


U.S. Route 31
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