# Interstate 65 in Alabama

Interstate 65 (I-65) meanders across 366 miles (589 km) of the Alabama countryside linking six of the state's 10 largest cities. The highway links together many important roadways that make commerce inside and outside of the state's boundaries possible. It starts at I-10 near Mobile. The route passes through the major cities of Montgomery, Birmingham, Decatur, Huntsville, and Athens before entering Tennessee in the north near the town of Ardmore, Alabama.
The entire Alabama portion of I-65 is dedicated as Heroes Highway in honor of Central Intelligence Agency officer Johnny Micheal Spann and all of the people who died during the September 11 attacks.

## Route description

I-65 starts its northward journey in Mobile as a three-lane freeway at a directional T interchange with I-10 not far from the Gulf of Mexico. From there, it runs northeast, intersecting with I-165 in Prichard. At exit 13 in Saraland, the Interstate transitions from three to two lanes. The highway next crosses the Mobile–Tensaw River Delta at the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge. En route to Montgomery, it passes county seats Evergreen (Conecuh County) and Greenville (Butler County). In the case of a hurricane evacuation on Alabama's coast, I-65 can be converted to an evacuation route where all lanes flow in the northbound direction from Mobile to Montgomery. This process is known as contraflow. The terrain on this stretch of road is slightly hilly, aside from a stretch in southern Conecuh County near Castleberry, where the road is slightly mountainous as it descends over 400 feet (120 m) into the southern plains of Alabama.
As the I-65 approaches the Montgomery city limits, the Hyundai Motor Company's automotive plant can be found just off freeway. It can be accessed using the Pintlala–Hope Hull exit (exit 164). After entering the city limits, I-65 intersects U.S. Route 80 (US 80, exit 167; which leads to Selma toward the west) where the Interstate gains an additional lane for a total of three lanes in each direction. Further on, it intersects the southern terminus of I-85 and crosses the Alabama River north of the city. At exit 181, which provide access to Prattville and Wetumpka, I-65's lanes drop to two.
At Chilton County, I-65 enters the Birmingham metropolitan area. Approximately halfway between Montgomery and Birmingham, it passes Clanton, the county seat, where the water tower, visible from the road, is shaped and painted to resemble a huge peach. Between exit 212 (State Route 145 (SR 145)) and exit 219 (County Road 42), I-65 was designated "War on Terror Memorial Highway" in 2014.
I-65 junctions with US 31 (exit 238) in Alabaster, where the Interstate carries three to four lanes until I-20/I-59. I-65 intersects I-459 in Hoover, then passes through the cities of Vestavia Hills and Homewood, which often generate heavy traffic. As the Interstate passes by downtown Birmingham, southbound travelers have a view of the Vulcan statue atop Red Mountain. At the north edge of downtown, I-65 reaches the I-20/I-59 intersection (exit 261) with a crossover interchange, often called "Malfunction Junction", through which the highway has five lanes, continuing on northward with four.
North of Birmingham at mile 266, interchange ramps provide access to parallel US 31. It is here that I-65 meets the eastern terminus of I-22, which heads northwest to Memphis, Tennessee, filling in a gap in the Interstate Highway System. After which, I-65 intersects Walker Chapel Road (exit 267) in Fultondale, where the Interstate drops to three lanes. The Interstate then continues 98 miles (158 km) in the general direction of Huntsville, crossing the Blount–Cullman county line (milemarker 291), where lanes transition from three to two, as well as passing the city of Cullman on the way. After entering the Decatur metropolitan area, in southern Morgan County, the Interstate passes Decatur. The highway connects the Huntsville–Decatur metropolitan area as it crosses Wheeler Lake (Tennessee River) on a 2.6-mile (4.2 km) bridge. The Interstate emerges again into the fringes of Decatur in an open area of seemingly "endless" cotton fields where it intersects, inside Decatur, with SR 20, U.S. Route 72 Alternate (US 72 Alt.), and the spur route I-565 to Huntsville.
Between Walkers Chapel Road in Fultondale and the Tennessee River in Decatur (Limestone County), I-65 has been designated the "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway". The sign designating the north end of this portion of road cites Reagan's speech in Decatur on July 4, 1984. The Interstate then continues, passing Athens, and merges with US 31. The two routes travel concurrently approximately 12 miles (19 km) to the Tennessee state line.
In the Birmingham–Hoover vicinity, a plan to widen the Interstate from North Birmingham to Alabaster has been proposed. The project is to widen the Interstate by adding an HOV lane and keeping the original three lanes making it four lanes in each direction. This is planned to stretch to the Pelham area. From there, the Interstate will widen from two lanes each way to three lanes each way into the Helena–Alabaster area.
Near the northern border of Alabama with Tennessee on southbound I-65 is located the Alabama Welcome Center and rest area. The unique feature of this rest area compared to others is the large Saturn IB rocket erected on the site as a memorial to Alabama's—and, in particular, Huntsville's—contribution to NASA's space exploration.

## History

The first section designed for the future Interstate Highway System spanned from the Tennessee border to Athens at US 31. It opened on November 15, 1958, and has a historical marker on the Tennessee side of the border. It was converted to full Interstate standards around 1970. The first section of Interstate in Alabama opened to traffic was the eight-mile (13 km) stretch of I-65 between northern Jefferson County and Warrior on December 10, 1959. A 26-mile (42 km) segment between Clanton and Calera opened to traffic on March 23, 1961. On April 1, 1961, a 26-mile (42 km) section between north of Warrior and SR 69 near Cullman opened to traffic. On May 25, 1961, two segments of I-65, a 14-mile (23 km) segment near Clanton and a six-mile (9.7 km) segment between Calera and Alabaster, were opened. In Mobile, the 6.8-mile (10.9 km) section between US 90 and US 45 opened on January 4, 1963. Work on the Tennessee River bridges in Morgan and Limestone counties began in April 1969, and the bridges were dedicated and opened on November 21, 1973.
While most of I-65 in Alabama was completed in the 1960s, the last segments to be completed were some of the last segments to be completed on the entire Interstate Highway System. The 11.7-mile (18.8 km) section between Alabaster and Hoover opened on May 20, 1981. The first contracts for the construction of the 12-mile (19 km) segment between US 43 north of Mobile and SR 225 in Baldwin County, including the six-mile-long (9.7 km) General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge, were awarded in 1967, and the section was opened on October 2, 1981. At the time, this was the most expensive highway project in the state's history, costing $137 million (equivalent to $389 million in 2023). The last section to be completed was a 14-mile (23 km) section between Lewisberg and Warrior that opened on December 19, 1985, which replaced a four-lane section of US 31 that had been designated as part of I-65 but did not meet Interstate Highway standards.
In 1997, at Georgiana (exit 114), honoring legendary country musician and Alabama native Hank Williams, the Interstate was designated as Hank Williams's Memorial "Lost Highway", after one of his songs. This designation continues northward until mile 179 north of Montgomery. From the state's capital, I-65 doglegs northward, bypassing Prattville and Clanton before going through the Birmingham metropolitan area. From exits 242 to 290, this highway carries at least six lanes of traffic. A portion of the Interstate running through Birmingham has been nicknamed "Malfunction Junction" for its numerous wrecks. These accidents include two separate occasions of the support beams melting after crashes by 18-wheelers and the numerous collisions that happen every year, resulting from the junction with I-20 and I-59.
In 2004, following the death of former-President Ronald Reagan, a lengthy segment of I-65 from Jefferson County to Limestone County was designated the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway. The sign designating the north end of the segment includes a statement from Reagan's speech at Point Mallard Park in nearby Decatur on July 4, 1984.

## Future

Just a few miles north of I-22 will be the new interchange (exit 274), which will be Corridor X-1 and has been designated as Interstate 422. This loop route will connect I-65 with I-59 northeast of Birmingham and I-20/I-59 southwest of Birmingham, and this will serve as an Interstate Highway bypass of Birmingham, augmenting the existing I-459, which already provides the southern loop of Birmingham. Construction of this interchange is still several years away, but right-of-way is in the process of being acquired to build I-422. I-65 will also be widened between exit 231 in Calera and exit 238 near Alabaster, which will include six bridges over rail tracks and two bridges. This project is expected to cost $300 million.

## Exit list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Mobile | Mobile | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0 | I-10 – Pascagoula, Pensacola | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; southern terminus; I-10 exit 20; directional T interchange |
| Mobile | Mobile | 1.930 | 3.106 | 1 | US 90 (SR 16, Government Boulevard) | To Downtown Mobile |
| Mobile | Mobile | 3.64 | 5.86 | 3 | Airport Boulevard | Serves Mobile Regional Airport and University of South Alabama |
| Mobile | Mobile | 4.48 | 7.21 | 4 | Dauphin Street | |
| Mobile | Mobile | 5.56 | 8.95 | 5A | Springhill Avenue | Serves Spring Hill College |
| Mobile | Mobile | 5.752 | 9.257 | 5B | US 98 (SR 42 / Moffett Road) | |
| Mobile | Prichard | 8.412 | 13.538 | 8 | US 45 (SR 17 / St. Stephens Road) – Prichard, Citronelle, Butler, Meridian | |
| Mobile | Prichard | 9.640 | 15.514 | 9 | I-165 south – Prichard, Downtown Mobile | I-165 exit 0 northbound; tri-stack interchange |
| Mobile | Chickasaw | 10.616 | 17.085 | 10 | West Lee Street | |
| Mobile | Saraland | 13.067 | 21.029 | 13 | SR 158 (Industrial Parkway) / SR 213 – Eight Mile, Saraland, Citronelle | |
| Mobile | Saraland | 17.397 | 27.998 | 15 | CR 41 (Celeste Road) – Saraland, Citronelle | |
| Mobile | Creola | 19.495 | 31.374 | 19 | US 43 (SR 13) – Satsuma, Creola, Thomasville, Demopolis | |
| Mobile | ​ | 21.505 | 34.609 | 22 | Sailor Road – Creola | |
| Mobile River Tensaw River | Mobile River Tensaw River | 24.220 | 38.978 | General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge | General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge | General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge |
| Baldwin | ​ | 31.793 | 51.166 | 31 | SR 225 – Stockton, Spanish Fort | |
| Baldwin | ​ | 33.935 | 54.613 | 34 | SR 59 – Bay Minette, Stockton | |
| Baldwin | ​ | 37.724 | 60.711 | 37 | SR 287 (Gulf Shores Parkway) – Bay Minette, Rabun | Two-lane on-ramp for I-65 north towards Montgomery |
| Baldwin | ​ | 45.044 | 72.491 | 45 | Rabun, Perdido | |
| Escambia | ​ | 53.574 | 86.219 | 54 | CR 1 (Jack Springs Road) | |
| Escambia | ​ | 57.656 | 92.788 | 57 | SR 21 – Atmore, Uriah | To Pensacola |
| Escambia | Barnett Crossroads | 69.356 | 111.618 | 69 | SR 113 – Flomaton, Wallace CR 40 | To Pensacola |
| Conecuh | ​ | 77.402 | 124.566 | 77 | SR 41 – Brewton, Repton | |
| Conecuh | ​ | 83.372 | 134.174 | 83 | CR 7 – Castleberry, Lenox | |
| Conecuh | Evergreen, Conecuh County | 92.930 | 149.556 | 93 | US 84 (SR 12) – Evergreen, Conecuh County, Monroeville | |
| Conecuh | Evergreen, Conecuh County | 96.509 | 155.316 | 96 | SR 83 – Evergreen, Conecuh County, Midway | |
| Conecuh | ​ | 100.685 | 162.037 | 101 | CR 29 – Owassa | |
| Butler | ​ | 107.345 | 172.755 | 107 | Hank Williams Road – Grace, Garland | |
| Butler | ​ | 113.969 | 183.415 | 114 | SR 106 – Georgiana, Starlington | |
| Butler | Greenville | 127.661 | 205.450 | 128 | SR 10 (Pineapple Highway) – Greenville, Pine Apple, Butler, Meridian | Southern end of SR 10 Truck overlap |
| Butler | Greenville | 130.046 | 209.289 | 130 | SR 185 / SR 10 Truck east – Greenville | Northern end of SR 10 Truck overlap |
| Lowndes | ​ | 141.531 | 227.772 | 142 | SR 185 – Fort Deposit, Logan | |
| Lowndes | ​ | 151.108 | 243.185 | 151 | SR 97 – Letohatchee, Davenport | |
| Lowndes | ​ | 157.628 | 253.678 | 158 | To US 31 (SR 3, Tyson Road) – Pintlala, Tyson | |
| Montgomery | ​ | 163.792 | 263.598 | 164 | US 31 (SR 3) – Pintlala, Hope Hull | Serves Hyundai Motor Company's Montgomery Plant |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | | | 166 | I-85 – Atlanta, Meridian | Future southern terminus of Montgomery bypass |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 167.103 | 268.926 | 167 | US 80 west (SR 8 west) – Selma, Demopolis | Southern end of US 80/SR 8 overlap |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 168.213 | 270.713 | 168 | US 80 east / US 82 east (SR 6 east / SR 8 east / SR 21 / South Boulevard) to US 231 (SR 53) / US 331 (SR 9) | Northern end of US 80/SR 8 overlap; southern end of US 82/SR 6 overlap |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 169.513 | 272.805 | 169 | Edgemont Avenue | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 170.093 | 273.738 | 170 | Fairview Avenue | |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 171.157 | 275.450 | 171 | I-85 / Day Street – Atlanta | I-85 no number signed; complete access to I-85, southbound exit and northbound entrance only to Day Street |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 171.748– 171.824 | 276.402– 276.524 | 172 | Herron Street, Clay Street – Downtown Montgomery | |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 172.013 | 276.828 | Bridge over the Alabama River | Bridge over the Alabama River | Bridge over the Alabama River |
| Montgomery | Montgomery | 172.725 | 277.974 | 173 | To US 231 (North Boulevard) | Unsigned SR 152 |
| Elmore | Millbrook | 175.535 | 282.496 | 176 | SR 143 – Millbrook, Coosada | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Elmore | Millbrook–Prattville city line | 178.961 | 288.010 | 179 | US 82 west (SR 6 west, Cobbs Ford Road) / SR 14 west / Montgomery Toll Road – Millbrook, Prattville | Northern end of US 82/SR 6 overlap; southern end of SR 14 overlap |
| Elmore | Prattville | 181.282 | 291.745 | 181 | SR 14 east – Prattville, Wetumpka | Northern end of SR 14 overlap |
| Autauga | Prattville | 186.426 | 300.024 | 186 | US 31 (SR 3) – Pine Level, Prattville | |
| Chilton | ​ | 200.366 | 322.458 | 200 | Verbena | |
| Chilton | Clanton | 205.340 | 330.463 | 205 | US 31 / SR 22 (SR 3) – Clanton, Verbena | |
| Chilton | Clanton | 208.35 | 335.31 | 208 | Lake Mitchell Road – Clanton, Lake Mitchell | |
| Chilton | Clanton | 211.876 | 340.981 | 212 | SR 145 (Lay Dam Road) – Clanton, Lay Dam | Peach Tower exit |
| Chilton | ​ | 219.256 | 352.858 | 219 | Jemison, Thorsby | |
| Shelby | Calera | 228.380 | 367.542 | 228 | SR 25 (Main Street) – Montevallo, Calera | |
| Shelby | Calera | 231.206 | 372.090 | 231 | US 31 (SR 3) – Saginaw, Calera, Montevallo | |
| Shelby | Calera | 233.976 | 376.548 | 234 | Shelby County Airport | |
| Shelby | ​ | 238.321 | 383.540 | 238 | US 31 (SR 3, 1st Street) – Alabaster, Saginaw | |
| Shelby | Pelham | 241.841 | 389.205 | 242 | CR 52 – Pelham, Helena | |
| Shelby | Pelham | 246.062 | 395.998 | 246 | SR 119 (Cahaba Valley Road) | |
| Shelby | Hoover | 247.262 | 397.930 | 247 | CR 17 (Valleydale Road) | |
| Jefferson | Hoover | 250.083 | 402.470 | 250 | I-459 – Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa | I-459 exit 15 |
| Jefferson | Hoover | 251.967 | 405.502 | 252 | US 31 (Montgomery Highway/SR 3) | |
| Jefferson | Hoover | 253.697 | 408.286 | 254 | Alford Avenue | |
| Jefferson | Homewood | 255.087 | 410.523 | 255 | Lakeshore Parkway | |
| Jefferson | Homewood | 256.117 | 412.180 | 256 | Oxmoor Road – Homewood | Signed as exits 256A (west) and 256B (east) southbound |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 257.557 | 414.498 | 258 | Green Springs Avenue | |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 258.827– 258.957 | 416.542– 416.751 | 259A | University Boulevard (northbound) 6th Avenue South (southbound) | Signed as exit 259 northbound |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 259.127 | 417.024 | 259B | 4th Avenue South & 3rd Avenue South | Southbound exit (4th Avenue) and northbound entrance (3rd Avenue) |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 259.697– 259.937 | 417.942– 418.328 | 260 | US 11 (US 78/SR 4 east/SR 7, 3rd Avenue North) / 6th Avenue North – Downtown Birmingham | Signed as exit 260B northbound |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 260.562 | 419.334 | 261 | I-20 / I-59 – Gadsden, Atlanta, Tuscaloosa | Signed as exits 261B (east/north) and 261C (west/south); I-20/59 exits 124B-C; hybrid interchange |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 261.369 | 420.633 | 262A | 16th Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 261.952 | 421.571 | 262B | Finley Boulevard (SR 378) | |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 262.611– 262.685 | 422.631– 422.751 | 263 | 32nd Avenue (northbound) 33rd Avenue (southbound) | |
| Jefferson | Birmingham | 263.462 | 424.001 | 264 | Daniel Payne Drive/Lewisburg Road | Ramp to I-65 north also connects to I-22 west |
| Jefferson | Fultondale | 264.010 | 424.883 | 265A | I-22 west – Jasper, Memphis | Eastern terminus of I-22; I-22 exit 95 |
| Jefferson | Fultondale | 264.997 | 426.471 | 265B | US 31 (SR 3) – Fultondale | |
| Jefferson | Fultondale | 266.61 | 429.07 | 267 | Walker Chapel Road | |
| Jefferson | Gardendale | 269.76 | 434.14 | 271 | Fieldstown Road | |
| Jefferson | Gardendale | 271.29 | 436.60 | 272 | Mt. Olive Road | |
| Jefferson | Morris | | | 274 | I-422 | Proposed interchange; future I-422 |
| Jefferson | ​ | 274.72 | 442.12 | 275 | To US 31 (SR 3, Barber Road) – Morris | |
| Jefferson | Warrior | 279.46 | 449.75 | 280 | To US 31 (SR 3, Service Road) – Warrior | |
| Jefferson | Warrior | 280.48 | 451.39 | 281 | Old US 31 – Warrior | |
| Jefferson | Warrior | 281.24 | 452.61 | 282 | Cane Creek Road – Robbins, Warrior | |
| Blount | Smoke Rise | 284.361 | 457.635 | 284 | US 31 south (SR 3 south) / SR 160 east – Hayden, Corner | Southern end of US 31/SR 3 overlap |
| Blount | Smoke Rise | 287.370 | 462.477 | 287 | US 31 north (SR 3 north, Bee Line Highway) – Garden City, Blount Springs | Northern end of US 31/SR 3 overlap |
| Blount | ​ | 289.33 | 465.63 | 289 | Empire, Blount Springs | |
| Cullman | ​ | 291.861 | 469.705 | 291 | SR 91 – Hanceville, Colony | |
| Cullman | ​ | 299.446 | 481.912 | 299 | SR 69 south / CR 490 – Jasper, Dodge City | Southern end of SR 69 overlap |
| Cullman | ​ | 303.490 | 488.420 | 304 | SR 69 north / CR 437 – Cullman, Good Hope | Northern end of SR 69 overlap |
| Cullman | Good Hope | 307.55 | 494.95 | 305 | CR 222 (Good Hope Road) | |
| Cullman | Cullman | 307.464 | 494.815 | 308 | US 278 (SR 74) – Cullman, Double Springs | |
| Cullman | Cullman | 310.039 | 498.959 | 310 | SR 157 (Section Line Road) – Cullman, Moulton | |
| Morgan | ​ | 318.161 | 512.030 | 318 | US 31 (SR 3, 2nd Avenue) – Lacon, Vinemont | |
| Morgan | ​ | 321.855 | 517.975 | 322 | Pike Road – Falkville, Eva | |
| Morgan | Hartselle | 324.938 | 522.937 | 325 | Thompson Road | |
| Morgan | Hartselle | 327.474 | 527.018 | 328 | SR 36 (Main Street) – Hartselle | |
| Morgan | Decatur–Priceville city line | 333.337 | 536.454 | 334 | SR 67 – Decatur, Priceville, Somerville | |
| Wheeler Lake Tennessee River | Wheeler Lake Tennessee River | 336.619 | 541.736 | Bridge over Wheeler Lake and Tennessee River | Bridge over Wheeler Lake and Tennessee River | Bridge over Wheeler Lake and Tennessee River |
| Limestone | Huntsville | 340.002 | 547.180 | 340 | I-565 east / SR 20 west (US 72 Alt.) – Huntsville, Decatur | Signed as exits 340A (west) and 340B (east) southbound; I-565 exit 1 westbound & 1A-B eastbound; eastern terminus of SR 20; western terminus of I-565 |
| Limestone | Tanner | 347.412 | 559.105 | 347 | CR 24 – Tanner | |
| Limestone | Athens | 351.024 | 564.918 | 351 | US 72 (SR 2) – Athens, Huntsville | |
| Limestone | Athens | 354.157 | 569.960 | 354 | US 31 south (SR 3 south) – Athens | Southern end of US 31 overlap; unsigned northern terminus of SR 3 |
| Limestone | Elkmont | 360.918 | 580.841 | 361 | CR 100 – Thach, Elkmont | |
| Limestone | ​ | 364.826 | 587.131 | 365 | SR 53 south (Upper Elkton Road, 7th Street) / CR 81 – Ardmore | Northern terminus of SR 53 |
| Limestone | ​ | 366.229 | 589.388 | | I-65 north / US 31 north – Nashville | Continuation into Tennessee |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Unopened |||||||