Interstate 20

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Interstate 20 or I-20, is a major thoroughfare traversing the southern United States serving as a connector between Pecos, Texas, and Florence, South Carolina, paralleling and utilizing old sections of U.S. Highway 80 from its western terminus to Meridian, Mississippi, and U.S. Highway 78 from Birmingham to Florence. During its 1,539.48 mile journey, it also serves the cities of Fort Worth, Dallas, Shreveport, Jackson, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbia. For a 145-mile stretch between Meridian and Birmingham, it also shares the same right-of-way with I-59.

Through Birmingham, I-20 serves as the main thoroughfare for traffic traveling from the southwest or east. It physically passes through the communities of McCalla, Bessemer, Brighton, Hueytown, Fairfield, Birmingham, Irondale, Leeds, Moody and Pell City in both Jefferson County and St. Clair County.

A proposal to lower the interstate in downtown Birmingham was included in the city's 2004 City Center Master Plan. The Alabama Department of Transportation determined that the projected cost was too high and scheduled replacement of the existing elevated roadway.

Expansion

To relieve congestion along the eastbound lanes in St. Clair County, an expansion project between Leeds and Riverside will result in the addition of an additional lane in each direction between Exit 140 and the Coosa River. The first phase, which commenced in 2002, was complete in 2004 that included the reconfiguration of Exit 144 in Leeds and additional lanes between Exits 140 and 147. The second phase between the Coosa River and Exit 152 in Cook Springs is slated for completion in late 2006.

Control cities

Through Birmingham, Atlanta, located 142 miles to the east, is primarily used as the control city for eastbound lanes; however, between Exits 120 & 123 Downtown is used instead. Tuscaloosa, located 59 miles to the southwest, is used for all westbound lanes in Birmingham.

Birmingham is first used as a control city at Exit 71 in Tuscaloosa for eastbound lanes. For westbound lanes, Birmingham first appears at Exit 57 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Exit listing

Exit Number Route Served Municipality Direction Number of Lanes Miles to the Next Exit Moving Northbound
104 Rock Mount Lakes Road McCalla E & W 3 1.76
106 I-459 North Bessemer E & W 3 2.76
108 Academy Drive/Highway 11/Alabama 11 Bessemer E & W 2 0.78
110 Splash Adventure Parkway Bessemer E & W 2 2.65
112 18th Street/19th Street Bessemer E & W 2 1.51
113 18th Avenue Brighton E & W 2 2.22
113 Jaybird Road (Allison-Bonnett Memorial Drive Westbound) Hueytown E 2 2.4
118 Valley Road Fairfield E & W 2 1.03
119 R.M. Scrushy Parkway (Avenue I Westbound) Fairfield E 3 1.69
120 Ensley Boulevard/Alabama 269 Birmingham E & W 4 2.23
121 Bush Boulevard Birmingham W 4 NA
123 Arkadelphia Road/U.S. Highway 78 Birmingham E & W 4 1.37
124 I-65 Birmingham E & W 4 0.69
125A 16th Street North Birmingham E 4 0.46
125B 22nd Street North Birmingham E & W 3 0.39
126A Caraway Boulevard/Highway 31/Highway 280 Birmingham E & W 3 0.54
126B 31st Street North Birmingham E & W 4 1.48
128 Tallapoosa Street/Alabama 79 Birmingham E & W 4 1.33
129 Airport Boulevard Birmingham E & W 3 0.71
130A I-20 East Birmingham E & W 4 1.51
130B 1st Avenue North/Highway 11 Birmingham E 2 1.69
132A Oporto-Madrid Boulevard Birmingham E 2 0.36
132B Montevallo Road Birmingham E & W 3 1.07
133 Kilgore Memorial Parkway Irondale E & W 3 2.42
135 Jefferson County 64 Irondale E & W 3 0.99
136 I-459 Irondale E & W 3 3.08
140 U.S. Highway 78 Leeds E & W 3 2.75
144 Highway 411 Leeds E & W 3 4.44

Disruptions

Sinkholes

Of note between Exits 121 & 123 is an abandoned stretch of mainline interstate along the southbound lanes. These lanes were utilized between 1972 and 1977 as temporary lanes whilst the mainlines were being repaired. The repairs were necessary as a result of sinkholes forming near the shoulder. The repairs resulted in the construction of at-grade bridges over the gaps.

Major accidents

In being a major thoroughfare for both local and interstate travel, accidents are nearly a daily occurrence. Although there are too many to list, there have been several notable accidents in recent years. In both 2002 and 2004 incidents at Malfunction Junction resulted in partial closure of some travel lanes while they were reconstructed. Additionally, the elevated section between Exits 124 & 126 have been the location of multiple incidents of large steel coils falling from tractor trailers and punching holes in the mainlines. (See List of interstate accidents involving dropped steel loads.)

External links

  • AARoads, Interstate 20 Highway Guide. [1].

References

  • State of Alabama Official 2005-2006 Highway Map
  • USGS Case History No. 9.11. 14 Jul 2006 [2].