I-20/59 North - Tuscaloosa to Vance

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Interstate 20 East Interstate 59 North
6.67 miles north of the Greene County line, I-20/59 meet SR 300 (Holly Springs Lane) at Exit 62 by the community of Fosters. 11/28/09
Exit 62 is a diamond interchange a half mile east of Grant Creek along I-20/59. SR 300 (Holly Springs Lane) connects the freeway with the intersection of U.S. 11/43 and Tuscaloosa County Route 10 (Gainesville Road) west. 11/28/09
Unmarked from I-59/20, SR 300 was designated in 2016 between Exit 62 and Fosters. U.S. 11/43 parallel the freeway to Culver Road north of the Black Warrior River. 11/28/09
I-20/59 traverses an area of wetlands north ahead of the Black Warrior River. 11/28/09
The next exit connects I-20/59 north with the Northport/Tuscalooosa Western Bypass (Joe Mallisham Parkway) north to Tuscaloosa Municipal Airport (TCL) and Northport. 11/28/09
The Tuscaloosa Western Bypass includes a toll bridge across the Black Warrior River. Work on the western bypass commenced in 1999 and the road was completed to U.S. 43 at Northport by late 2005.1 11/28/09
Entering the trumpet interchange (Exit 68) with the Tuscaloosa Western Bypass on I-20 east / I-59 north. The bypass ends at U.S. 43 in Northport via Rose Boulevard east to Mitt Larry Road. 11/28/09
I-20/59 travel by a number of lakes and wetland areas from Exit 68 to the Tuscaloosa city line. 10/20/12
The first of three branch routes from I-59 north is Interstate 359 at Exit 71 B on the south side of Tuscaloosa. I-359 constitutes a 2.78 mile long spur toward Downtown Tuscaloosa alongside SR 69. 10/20/12
Downtown Tuscaloosa is a four mile drive from this distance sign via I-359 north at Exit 71 while Birmingham is 57 miles to the northeast. 10/20/12
One mile west of the directional cloverleaf interchange linking I-20/59 with Interstate 359, SR 69 and U.S. 11. The freeway spans a Norfolk Southern Railroad here and formally enters the city limits of Tuscaloosa. 10/20/12
Exit 71 A departs for the south end of I-359, U.S. 11 north and SR 69 south to their nearby split at Skyland Boulevard. Points of interest served by Exit 71 A include Mountville Archaeological Park and Shelton State Community College. SR 69 continues south along a four lane divided highway to the Hale County line at Moundsville en route to Greensboro. 10/20/12
Exit 71 B loops onto I-359/SR 69 north and U.S. 11 south into Tuscaloosa. U.S. 11 follows the freeway north to 15th Street, where the route joins U.S. 43 south by Stillman College. U.S. 43/SR 69 north combine ahead of the I-359 end along Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard. The couplet extends north by the central business district to the six lane Black Warrior River bridge into Northport. 10/20/12
Typical for ALDOT freeway to freeway junctions, a route shield accompanies the gore point sign at Exit 71 B. I-359 north in conjunction with U.S. 43/SR 69 into Northport connects with U.S. 82. Points of interest west along U.S. 82 include Tuscaloosa Regional Airport (TCL) and Lake Lurleen State Park. I-359 was completed by 1983. 10/20/12
I-20/59 advances east to a SPUI (Exit 73) with U.S. 82 (McFarland Boulevard). McFarland Boulevard was constructed in the 1960s as a new alignment for U.S. 82 north from Old Montgomery Highway (SR 215) to U.S. 43 in the city of Northport. Much like South Boulevard in Montgomery, McFarland Boulevard was heavily developed. 06/06/17
I-59/20 expand to six lanes east ahead of U.S. 82 (McFarland Boulevard). McFarland Boulevard passes through eastern reaches of the University of Alabama campus. A more direct route to the campus is I-359 north to University Boulevard (old SR 215) east. 06/06/17
U.S. 82 (McFarland Boulevard) upgrades to an expressway north of University Mall and 13th Street E ahead of the bridge crossing the Black Warrior River into Northport. Southward, U.S. 82 travels 98 miles to the capital city of Montgomery. 06/06/17
Heavy commercial development lines McFarland Boulevard in both directions. Just south of Exit 73 is parallel U.S. 11 along a commercial arterial between I-359 and Exit 76.
Leaving the Tuscaloosa area, U.S. 82 continues southeast on a four lane divided highway 32 miles to the Bibb County seat of Centreville. 06/06/17
An $83.4 million project underway from January 2018 to late Summer 2021 expanded I-20/59 to six overall lanes from near Exit 73 to near Exit 77. Work included converting the exchange at McFarland Boulevard into a SPUI with signature arches.2 06/06/17
The city of Bessemer appears as the next destination for I-20/59 east at 38 miles out. 49,230 vehicles per day were recorded along this stretch by ALDOT in 2010. 06/06/17
U.S. 11 crosses I-20/59 again at a diamond interchange (Exit 76) between south Tuscaloosa and the community of Cottondale. 06/06/17
U.S. 11 (Skyland Boulevard) angles northeast from Exit 76 to overtake SR 215 along University Boulevard through Cottondale. 06/06/17
U.S. 11 loops through east Tuscaloosa and Cottondale from Exit 76 and meets I-59/20 again in 3.86 miles. 06/06/17
Exit 77 to Tuscaloosa County Route 85 (Buttermilk Road) also connects I-59/20 with the Tuscaloosa suburb of Cottondale. The arterial route travels between Hargrove Road and the Woodland Forest development north to U.S. 11 (University Boulevard). 06/06/17
JVC Road lines the north side of I-20/59 between U.S. 11 (Skyland Boulevard) and Buttermilk Road. Timberland remains in place along the south side of the freeway until near Exit 77. 06/06/17
One half mile out from the parclo interchange (Exit 77) with Buttermilk Road (CR 85). 06/06/17
Bessemer is 35 miles to the east, followed by Birmingham in 48 miles. 06/06/17
Buttermilk Road was expanded into a five lane arterial as part of a $10 million project from Exit 77 southward to Bradford Boulevard between November 2007 and 2010.3 This work coincided with the construction of a new loop ramp from CR 85 north onto I-20/59 south. 06/06/17
Clements Road spans I-59/20 east of these confirming markers posted after Exit 77. 10/20/12
The landscape becomes more hilly as I-20/59 advances east 34 miles to Bessemer. 10/20/12
U.S. 11 meets I-59/20 for a third time in the city of Tuscaloosa at a folded diamond interchange (Exit 79) adjacent to a Norfolk Southern Railroad line. 06/06/17
U.S. 11 (University Boulevard) shifts southeast from Cottondale across I-59/20 en route to the town of Coaling. U.S. 11 converges with I-59/20 again at Exit 97. 06/06/17
U.S. 11 generally serves local traffic from Exit 79 east through Coaling, the town of Vance and town of Woodstock. 06/06/17
U.S. 11 follows University Boulevard west 3.36 miles to SR 215 at Cottondale. East from I-59/20, U.S. 11 continues 15.55 miles to SR 5 at Woodstock Junction. 10/20/12
06/06/17
The third rest area along I-59/20 northbound in Alabama falls within eastern reaches of the Tuscaloosa city limits near Coaling. 06/06/17
2002-03 construction along this stretch expanded I-20/59 from four to six lanes and added a median barrier to help prevent head-on collisions. 06/06/17
The diamond interchange (Exit 86) with Tuscaloosa County Route 59 (Covered Bridge Road) lies one mile from of the rest areas west of Little Hurricane Creek. 06/06/17
Covered Bridge Road stems 1.03 miles north from U.S. 11 near Coaling to Exit 86. 06/06/17
Covered Bridge Road meanders 5.63 miles north from Exit 86 to SR 216 (Miner's Memorial Parkway) in the city of Brookwood. 06/06/17
I-59/20 pass just south of the Brookwood city limits and remain within Tuscaloosa east to Exit 89. 06/06/17
A split diamond interchange at Exit 89 connects I-59/20 with Daimler Benz Boulevard and M-Class Boulevard north of the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plant. 06/06/17
Bessemer lies 25 miles northeast from I-59/29 at Vance. Downtown Birmingham follows in 38 miles. 06/06/17
Daimler Benz Boulevard leads 1.08 miles south from Exit 89 to U.S. 11 at the town of Vance. M-Class Boulevard parallels to the east, running 1.27 miles between U.S. 11 and I-59/29. 06/06/17
Brookwood Parkway extends 6.4 miles north from Daimler Benz Boulevard nearby to SR 216 in Brookwood. 06/06/17
Mercedes Drive links the ramps at Exit 89 with Daimler Benz Boulevard the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International entrance and M-Class Boulevard. The manufacturing facility commenced operations in 1997. 06/06/17
7.87 miles separate the overpass for M-Class Boulevard at Exit 89 and U.S. 11/SR 5 at Exit 97. 06/06/17
06/06/17
U.S. 11 combines with SR 5 north from the town of Woodstock to the diamond interchange at Exit 97 and Shamblin Woods Road. 06/06/17
U.S. 11/SR 5 overlap 3.06 miles southwest into Woodstock. SR 5 heads six miles south from there to the town of West Blocton and 18 miles to U.S. 82 at the Bibb County seat of Centreville. 06/06/17
Woodstock Town Hall lies just south of U.S. 11 along SR 5. Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge lies east of SR 5 in West Blocton along CR 24. 06/06/17
SR 5 originates 108.44 miles to the south from U.S. 43 in Thomasville. Shamblin Woods Road spurs 0.72 miles north from Exit 97. 06/06/17
Interstate 20 East Interstate 59 North U.S. 11 Alabama Route 5 North
U.S. 11/SR 5 overlap with I-59/20 northeast 11.22 miles into Bessemer. 06/06/17
06/06/17
SR 216 runs east from Abernant and the city of Lake View to end at the diamond interchange (Exit 100) with I-20/59. 06/06/17
Unmarked on guide signs for Exit 100, SR 216 measures 26.12 miles in length west to SR 215 at University Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Parkway in Tuscaloosa. 06/06/17
Connecting I-59/20 with Tannehill Ironworks Historic State Park, Tannehill Parkway ties into SR 216 from Bucksville to the east. 06/06/17


 
Sources:
  1. Tuscaloosa By-Pass. web site.
  2. "Arches on I-59/20 bridge in Tuscaloosa to get a crimson paint job." AL.com, April 21, 2021.
  3. "After years of delay, Buttermilk Road project underway." Tuscaloosanews.com, November 27, 2007.


Photo Credits:

11/28/09, 10/20/12, 06/06/17 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 359
U.S. 11
U.S. 82

Page Updated 04-29-2023.

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