Towns in Path: York, Livingston, Eutaw, Tuscaloosa, Vance, Bessemer, Birmingham, Trussville, Springville,
Steele, Attalla, Collinsville, Ft. Payne.
Interstates paralleled: I-59 entire route; I-20 from Cuba to Birmingham
Known Route changes:
Through Tuscaloosa, route followed University Blvd, (ALA 215 through campus of Univ. of Alabama); was rerouted to the south on Skyland Blvd. and along I-359
Route was in the path of I-20/59 from exit 97 to exit 108.
ALA 216 (once numbered ALA 116) between Tuscaloosa and Buckville is called Old Birmingham Highway, also from Buckville a connecting county road is called Old Tuscaloosa Highway through Bessemer. This lies one block eact of US 11 in Bessemer - the Bessemer Superhighway. I have not proved that any of these these comprised US 11. I did find that in 1950, US 11 did not follow ALA 216. The name "Old Tusc/Bhm Highway probably predates the establishment of the Federal Highway System.
A section of US 11 in Steele was moved one block over for a small segment. One house was rotated 180 degrees to face the other road - Thanks Rodney!
For route changes near Gadsden, refer to US 411.
411 [ALA 25]
North Terminus: Newport, TN
South Terminus: Leeds, AL
Total U.S Mileage: 328
Mi 000: Leeds at US 78
Mi 089: GA State line, near Forney
Towns in Path: Leeds, Moody, Odenville, Ashville, Gadsden, Leesburg, Centre
Interstates paralleled: None
Known Route changes:
A 28 mile section from Leeds to 4 mi south of Ashville on US 231 was added over what was part of ALA 25 (For a while, this route was US 11 and the parallel part of US 11 was ALT US 11)
A 12 mile section of US 411, from Ashville to US 11 near St. Clair Springs, was decommissioned and is now ALA 23.
A bypass was added around the north side of Centre
ALA 25 continues south from Leeds in to SW Alabama
29 [ALA 15]
North Terminus: Baltimore, MD
South Terminus: Pensacola, FL
Total U.S Mileage: 1060
Mi 000: FL State line, Flomaton
Mi 220: GA State line, Lanett
Towns in Path: Flomaton, Brewton, Andalusia, Brantley, Luverne, Troy, Union Springs, Tuskeegee, Auburn,
Opelika, Valley, Lanett
Interstates paralleled: I-85 from Tuskeegee to GA State line
Known Route changes:
A northern bypass around Andalusia has been added.
Alternate route: Between Troy and Union Springs, ALA 223 is a shorter route and was once used as a detour during a time when a US 29 bridge was out.
The dual-signage with US 98 across Mobile Bay and into Mobile has been eliminated.
A western bypass around Montgomery has been added - the old route goes through downtown’s west side on Day St. and Mobile
Hwy
A bypass around east the side of Prattville has been added
A section has been rerouted over Red Mtn. Expressway in Birmingham - the old route goes through Homewood and by the Vulcan Statue on 21st street
Part of the route now is now in path of I-65 between exits 284 and 287
Various re-routings have occurred in Cullman county near Hanceville and over Brindley mtn. between Lacon and Vinemont
A re-routeing was done over I-65 from exit 354 north to TN State line - the old route renamed ALA 251.
231 [ALA 53]
North Terminus: US 41, St. John, IN
South Terminus: Panama City, FL
Total U.S Mileage: 932
Mi 000: FL State line, near Madrid
Mi 365: TN State Line, near Hazel Green
Towns in Path: Dothan, Ozark, Troy, Montgomery, Wetumpka, Rockford, Sylacauga, Childersburg, Harpersville,
Vincent, Pell City, Ashville, Oneonta, Cleveland, Blountsville, Arab, Morgan City, Huntsville, Hazel Green
Interstates paralleled: None
Known Route changes:
During 4-laning from Montgomery to FL, re-routing has occurred. Bypasses have been completed around Dothan, Ozark, Troy, Montgomery, Wetumpka, Arab and Huntsville
A stretch of road south of Dothan, that is now Houston CR 59,
was bypassed with a straight 4-lane a couple of miles to the east (This stretch used to be US 241)
The Dothan bypass goes around the west side of town on Ross Clark Cir. - the old route is through business district
The Ozark bypass created a new ALA 123 which goes into Ozark from the south and 12 miles out of town to the north
The Troy bypass goes around the city’s west side. In Montgomery, the new route is over the Eastern and Northern bypasses - the old route followed local roads and what is now W. L. Dickerson Blvd.
The route went through Arab's business district before being byassed to the west.
The route through Huntsville followed Whitesburg Dr., Madison St. and Meridian Street through downtown - the new Bypass (opened in 1962)is Memorial Parkway. (ALA 53 continues SE of Dothan and NW of Huntsville - Jordan Lane/Ardmore Hwy).
Originally the road had it's northern terminus in Montgomery and when extended, it took over parts of ALA 9 and ALA 11 (now defunct and renumbered ALA 21) to Anniston and then US 241 from Anniston to the Tennessee State Line.
Road Notes: There is talk of creating a Southern Bypass off of US 231 around Huntsville through Redstone Arsenal, however I prefer that money first be used to upgrade the Memorial Parkway to limited access status.
331 [ALA 9]
North Terminus: Montgomery, AL
South Terminus: Junction US-98, FL 156
Total U.S Mileage: 156
Mi 000: FL State line, Florala
Mi 104: Montgomery, Southern Bypass
Towns in Path: Florala, Opp, Brantley, Luverne, Montgomery
Interstates paralleled: None
Known Route changes: The last mile in S. Montgomery was shifted two blocks west (ALA 9 continues north of Montgomery to near Anniston). US331 also once connected the Southern Bypass to Downtown along Norman Bridge Rd, according to surfer email from a Montgomery native. Also, originally, the route followed the section of US 29 form Flomaton to Pensacola, FL.
Road Notes: Many swear by this route as a short cut to the Florida Gulf Coast - particularly Destin and Fort Walton. My own travels found it about equal to US 231 as a route to Panama City Beach.
431 [ALA 1]
North Terminus: Owensboro, KY
South Terminus: Dothan, AL
Total U.S Mileage: 582
Mi 000: Dothan, Ross Clark Circle
Mi 348*: TN State Line, near Hazel Green
(* - mile markers reflect higher numbered co-signed US 231 N. of Huntsville)
Towns in Path: Dothan, Headland, Abbeville, Eufaula, Seale, Phenix City, Smiths, Opelika, Lafayette,
Roanoke, Wedowee, Anniston, Glencoe, Gadsden, Attalla, Boaz, Albertville, Guntersville, New Hope, Huntsville,
Hazel Green
Interstates paralleled: None
Known Route changes:
4-laning of this road is extensive throughout, and old sections of road have been bypassed between Huntsville and Dothan in numerous places.
In parts of Henry Co., the route was replaced with ALA 173 and CR 99
In parts of Russell Co. through Phenix City - the old route followed Seale Rd., Crawford Rd., and Railroad St.
Bypasses have been finished around Smiths and to the
east of Opelika
Parts of N. Randolph Co. have new 4-lane to bypasses curvy, rugged terrain. (One of my college roommates was from Wedowee and he was almost killed by running off the road and stopping just before a deep ravine along the old route.)
In Anniston, the route through town was moved to Quintard Ave. and McClellan Blvd. from Noble Street one block to the west
The route once passed through Gadsden on Broad St. and Forrest Ave. but was re-routed one block to the north onto Meighan Blvd presumedly to offer a better bridge over the Coosa River
A section between Boaz and Guntersville is now signed as ALA 205
Parts of SE Madison County near Hampton Cove, Owens Crossroads
and New Hope were re-routed and 4-laned to eliminate a series of one-lane bridges and a flood plain
ALA 1 follows the route of US231 south of Dothan and north of Huntsville
Road Notes: An eastern bypass is planned around Anniston to service Fort McClellan and to alleviate traffic in downtown. The money ($40 million) was appropriated in the Federal 1998 Road Bill.
43 [ALA 13]
North Terminus: Columbia, TN
South Terminus: Mobile, AL
Total U.S Mileage: 435
Mi 000: Mobile, Government St.
Mi 361: TN State line, near Green Hill
Towns in Path: Mobile, Saraland, Mount Vernon, Jackson, Grove Hill, Thomasville, Linden, Demopolis, Eutaw,
Tuscaloosa, Northport, Fayette, Winfield, Guin, Hamilton, Hackelburg, Russellville, Tuscumbia, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals,
Florence
Interstates paralleled: I-20/59 between Tuscaloosa and Eutaw jointly with US 11
Known Route changes:
Part of the old route has been bypassed in N. Clarke Co. due to 4-laning
Received from Joel Aldridge: The old alignment went from Hackleburg in Marion County and followed current AL 172 to AL 237 into Phil
Campbell where it joined current AL 13. From Phil Campbell it followed AL 13 to the Spruce Pine community. This is where the old alignment meets back with the current alignment.
241 [no longer exists in AL]
Until 1953, this oddly routed road connected Tennessee and Florida crossing the state line at the same places current US 431 does today except the route traversed as follows:
Tennessee state line-Huntsville-Guntersville-Gadsden-Anniston (US 431 route)
Anniston-Talladega-Sylacauga (ALA 21 route)
Sylacauga-Alex City-Opelika-Phenix City (US 280 route)
Phenix City-Eufaula-Dothan-Florida state line (US 431 route)
The removal of US 241 led to the creation of US 431 and US 280.
