U.S. Highway 280

U.S. Highway 280 (also known as U.S. Route 280) is a spur of U.S. Highway 80. It currently runs for 392 miles from Blitchton, Georgia at U.S. Highway 80 to Birmingham at I-20/I-59. For much of its route, U.S. 280 travels through rural areas and smaller cities in southern Georgia and southeastern Alabama. Once the highway approaches Birmingham, it becomes choked with commuter traffic and sprawling suburban development. Numerous shopping centers are located on U.S. 280 throughout northern Shelby County and southern Jefferson County. Throughout Alabama, U.S. 280 is paired with the unsigned Alabama State Highway 38.

The final section of Highway 280, after it joins U.S. Highway 31 and enters Birmingham through the Red Mountain cut, is officially named the Elton B. Stephens Expressway, but is better known to residents as the Red Mountain Expressway. In Talladega County U.S. 280 is known as the "Jim Nabors Highway", in honor of the Sylacauga, native. In Georgia, U.S. 280 from Columbus to I-16, is known as "Power Alley".

Arlington Avenue was the original route for Highway 280 entering Birmingham.

Cities along the route

From south to north:

• Vidalia, Georgia
• Cordele, Georgia
• Plains, Georgia
• Americus, Georgia
• Columbus, Georgia
• Phenix City
• Opelika
• Sylacauga
• Hoover
• Mountain Brook
• Homewood
• Birmingham

Major Highway Junctions

• U.S. Highway 80 and I-16 at Blichton, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 25 and U.S. Route 301 at Claxton, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 221 at Vidalia, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 23, U.S. Highway 319, and U.S. Highway 341 at McRae, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 129 at Abbeville, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 41 and I-75 at Cordele, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 19 at Americus, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 27 from Cusseta to Columbus, Georgia
• U.S. Highway 43 from Phenix City to Opelika
• I-85 and U.S. Highway 29 from Opelika to I-85, Exit 62
• U.S. Highway 231 from Sylacauga to Harpersville
• I-459 in Birmingham
• U.S. Highway 31 from Homewood to I-20/I-59 in Birmingham
• U.S. Highway 78 at Birmingham (3rd and 4th Avenue South exit). Prior to the completion of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway, U.S. 78 and U.S. 280 overlapped until they junctioned with U.S. Highway 11 at the intersection of 1st Avenue North and 24th Street.
• U.S. Highway 11 at the exit with 1st Avenue North and 26th Street in downtown Birmingham.
• I-20/I-59 in downtown Birmingham. This is the western terminus of U.S. 280.

References

• "U.S. Route 280." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 21 Mar 2006, 13:28 UTC. 13 Apr 2006, 18:55 [1].
• "Fun facts, historical tidbits and tips to find your way around Birmingham from traffic engineer John Garrett." (January 2, 2007) Birmingham News.