Work associated with the Progress 65 project in Montgomery is now complete. Despite the presence of construction barrels in this scene taken November 3, 2011, there was no active work. Interstate 65 was widened to six lanes on a 4.613-mile stretch through Montgomery and speed limits increased to 60 mph. All final guide signs are in place.

Shelby County widening of Interstate 65 from Exit 242 (CR 52) north to the Jefferson County line is near completion. The freeway carries six lanes on this stretch with increased ramp capacity at the suburban interchanges of Alabama 119 (Cahaba Valley Road), CR 52 and CR 17 (Valleydale Road). Future expansion will focus on the freeway south from Exit 242 to Exit 238, and eventually the Shelby County Airport interchange (Exit 234).

Work continues on the reconstruction of Interstate 65 from the Jefferson County line northward to U.S. 31 (Exit 252) at Vestavia Hills. When we passed through in June, northbound traffic was partitioned between a single lane and two-lane carriageway split and no signs were left for Interstate 459. Now southbound utilizes that configuration while northbound continues with three overall lanes and new Highway Gothic font based signs are in place. Work on this aspect of the Progress 65 project is slated for completion this upcoming winter.

Many cities and metro areas in the country have an interchange nicknamed "Malfunction Junction", the Birmingham example of this is the junction where Interstate 65 meets Interstates 20-59 northwest of downtown. Large diagrammatical signs went up in 2003 to accompany a reconstruction of the junction. Left-hand ramps remain in use in all directions as both sets of carriageways intertwine.

The only remaining button copy shields for Interstates 20 and 59 remain on the ramp from Interstate 65 north to the eastbound overlapped freeway. These signs date from the completion of Malfunction Junction in 1972.

Turn east and cross a viaduct and one quickly meets U.S. 31 and the eastbound beginning of U.S. 280, otherwise known as the Elton B. Stephens Expressway. Constructed between 1962 and the 1980s, the urban freeway varies from an elevated highway southward through a rock cut at Red Mountain. U.S. 280 follows the roadway southward to Rosedale Drive at the Birmingham Zoo and travels 392 miles overall to Blitchton, Georgia (west of Savannah).

Interstate 20 east and 59 north part ways at Woodlawn and northeast Birmingham. Interstate 20 resumes an eastward course to Atlanta and Columbia while Interstate 59 travels northeast to Gadsden and the Chattanooga area.

Interstate 459 ends at Exit 137 of Interstate 59. Interstate 459 was completed in 1985 and provides a high speed bypass for Interstate 59 between Tuscaloosa and Gadsden. The planned North Beltline (Interstate 422) will tie into Interstate 59 at a point further north.

Most of Interstate 59 consists of asphalt pavement, but the stretch between Exit 183 and near Stephen Gap Road in Etowah County utilizes a concrete surface. A 10.91-mile progress, dubbed Progress 59, is underway to rehabilitate the pavement. Currently travelers in both directions utilize the southbound carriageway with one lane per direction. Concrete resumes as the surface for I-59 throughout Dekalb County.

A new alignment was constructed for 49th Street between U.S. 11 and Gault Avenue on the north side of Fort Payne in 2010. The roadway ties into Interstate 59 at the Exit 224 diamond interchange, opened July 30, 2010, to provide access to Fort Payne Industrial Park. ¹

The northernmost 20.67 miles of Interstate 59 travels through Georgia to end at Interstate 24. Raccoon Mountain rises in the background.

Exit 178 partitions into ramps for hidden Interstate 124 & U.S. 27 north to downtown Chattanooga, U.S. 11-41-64 (and U.S. 72 too) along Broad Street northbound and Williams Street southbound.

Lowering toward the split with U.S. 11 north & 64 east at Exit 11. A loop ramp was added recently from US 11 south/64 west onto Interstate 75.

Interstate 75 enters a "Fog Advisory Area" between Exits 27 and 42. Sign bridges with dynamic message signs are posted at Exits 27 and 33 to advise motorists of speed limit changes and weather conditions during periods of dense fog. A similar configuration exists along the Interstate 10 Bayway in Alabama. Both are a result of tragic car pile ups induced by dense fog conditions (1990 in Tennessee, 1995 in Alabama).

Interstate 40 and 75 combine and share an eight-lane freeway through to Knoxville. Occasionally auxiliary lanes swell the freeway to ten lanes. Though in the early afternoon during inclement weather in this scene, traffic was already moderate. Traffic counts have risen steadily from 128,308 vehicles per day (vpd) in 1995 to a peak of 166,054 vpd in 2009.

Interstate 75 drops from six to four lanes on the exit of the Knoxville area at Exit 112.

Approaching Exit 83 with Kentucky 2872 at the crossing of Silver Creek along Interstate 75 northbound. A diamond interchange opened in 2005 with Duncannon Lane, a multilane connector leading northeast to U.S. 25 at the Blue Grass Army Depot. The exit replaced a rest area that previously resided south of Duncannon Lane.

A recent change sees all Interstate shields along Interstate 75 northbound, including the overlap with Interstate 64 west, replaced with state-named shields in Fayette County.

There was little let up to the rain through to the merge with Interstate 71 and into the Covington and Newport area. 2.26 inches of rain fell at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport no less…

Sources:

1. "New interchange opens in Dekalb County." WAFF-TV, July 30, 2010.

The latest Clearview sign to appear on a Mobile area Interstate, this of a westbound mileage sign posted along Interstate 10 in Baldwin County.

More 2010 (and some from January 2011) photos have been added to both westbound guides of Interstate 10 in Alabama, Interstate 65 north and 165, U.S. 43, U.S. 45 north, U.S. 90 east, U.S. 98 west, Alabama 188 as well.

The first roundabout in Mobile County opened to traffic in October 2010. This traffic circle differs from most in that it handles movements between five roads.

New roads opened in the Mobile area during 2010 include Air Terminal Drive, linking Mobile Regional Airport with Dawes Road, an extension of Grelot Road west to Dawes Road at Air Terminal Drive and the extension of Nevius Road, linking Alabama 193 (Rangeline Road) with Hillcrest Road and the Main Line Street viaduct connecting Virginia Street with Ezra Trice Boulevard.

U.S. 43 north at Mobile County 84 now has a traffic light to govern movements between the two roads.

It seems that a new signal goes up at least once a month in the Mobile area. The truck stop & Sperry Road north of Interstate 10 on Theodore Dawes Road gained one, Battleship Parkway at Addsco Road gained one, Old Shell Road at Foreman Road gained one, U.S. 90 (Old Spanish Trail) at Town Center Avenue (Spanish Fort Town Center) gained one, etc. etc.

Speaking of Old Shell Road (now on its own guide), the long awaited widening of the road west from Hillcrest Road to Schillinger Road is nearing completion (spring 2011). Other area widenings touted in the near (or far as the case may be) future include those of Schillinger Road between Howells Ferry Road and U.S. 98, Zeigler Road west from Langan Park to University Boulevard and Snow Road overall.

Still waiting for the new U.S. 98 (Wilmer Bypass) to near completion. This image looks at the grading for the road adjacent to County Road 63 from January 29, 2010.

And Mobile County Highways gaining signage? I wrote the county public works people and they indicated that the signs were being added to aid motorists using publicly available mapping products. These are appearing outside of incorporated areas and mainly on county roads, though at least one of the unique style of shield was observed along State Highway 193 at County Highway 20 (or is it 22?).

An example of the 18″ pentagons appearing on Mobile County highways, this for the southbound beginning of Jack Williams Road (Mobile County 86).

Ramblings in Baldwin County include the prioritizing of allocating funds for three key projects:

• Extending the Baldwin Beach Express northward from Mobile County 32 (current north end) to a new interchange with Interstate 10 (planned for Baldwin County 68). Work is underway near the junctions of Baldwin County 64 and 83 as of late 2010.
• Constructing a new interchange between Baldwin County 13 and Interstate 10. A controversial element of this project is the inclusion of access for a not-so-popular service road proposed to run along the north side of I-10 between Bass Pro Drive and Woodrow Lane to link U.S. 90 with Alabama 181.
• Completing the widening of Alabama 181 southward from U.S. 90 to U.S. 98. Construction is already underway along Malbis Plantation Parkway between Baldwin County 64 and U.S. 90.

Some of these topics will be covered in future updates slated for our Baldwin County guides, including one such project completed last year: The Baldwin County 13 construction that filled the gap between Baldwin County 64 and Alabama 104, where yet another new signal was installed. Revisions completed already in Baldwin include guides for both directions of U.S. 31 and 90.

Counter-intuitive shield assembly posted for South Carolina 12 along U.S. 21-176-321 (Huger Street) northbound in Columbia. South Carolina 12 follows a one-way street couplet of Hampton Street (east) and Taylor Street (west) from Jarvis Klapman Boulevard to Park Street in downtown.

U.S. 21-176-321 turn southward onto Huger Street from Elmwood Avenue. While the only Business Spur I-126 sign disappeared a few years ago, the remainder of the junction with Interstate 126 remains virtually unchanged from 2004.

Interstate 126 west defaults onto Interstate 26 west ahead of the junction with Interstate 20 (Exit 107). The freeway mainline merges onto I-26 from the left. Motorists taking the I-20 ramp simply merge onto I-26 from the right ahead of the Exit 107 full-cloverleaf interchange. U.S. 76 is the only US Route in the Columbia area to follow a freeway. It joins Interstate 126 from Elmwood Avenue and continues on I-26 west to Exit 101A.

U.S. 378 follows Travis Avenue into Saluda and turns south on Jennings Street and west on Church Street to this intersection with U.S. 178, South Carolina 39, and South Carolina 121 (Main Street). Saluda is the home town of professional wrestling’s Paul "The Big Show" Wight.

U.S. 221 south joins U.S. 378 west for a brief overlap along East Gold Street in McCormick, South Carolina. Pictured here is the split where U.S. 221 south joins South Carolina 28 on Mine Street.

Crossing the Savannah River along U.S. 378 into Lincoln County, Georgia. A $14.2-million bridge replacement project is underway that will replace the 1938-opened bridge with a new structure to the south. When completed, U.S. 378 will travel a new 1,680 foot bridge with 12′ travel lanes, 10′ shoulders. New approaches are to be constructed as well.

U.S. 378 ends at junction U.S. 78 & Georgia 10-17 outside of Washington in Wilkes County. The end point lies directly across from the U.S. 78 business loop through the county seat. A connector road provides access to U.S. 78 east to Thomson ahead of the actual signalized end. See Dale Sanderson’s End of US Highway 378 page for additional photos of the terminus.

The Washington Bypass continues north with Georgia 17; U.S. 78 & Georgia 10 turn west on a two-lane alignment north of the business loop of Lexington Avenue.

While the Athens Perimeter Highway (Georgia 10 Loop) carries U.S. 29, U.S. 78, U.S. 129, U.S. 441 and a myriad of state route counterparts along its alignment, all multiplexes are ignored on reassurance shields and instead a simple Georgia 10 Loop Inner or Outer shield assembly is posted instead. There are however, small guide signs that follow some of the on-ramps directing motorists to the departure points of the U.S. highways and Georgia 316′s westbound beginning.

Georgia 316 constitutes a 39.08 mile expressway type route between the Athens Perimeter Highway (Georgia 10 Loop) and Interstate 85 in Gwinnett County. The route undulates from signalized intersections through seemingly rural swaths with a 65 mph speed limit. The number of signalized intersections prevents a consistent pace between Athens and metro Atlanta and only the westernmost five miles of the route comprises a freeway. Talks have centered around upgrading Georgia 316 for years and recently those have focused on upgrading the highway to limited access standards by implementing tolls. It was reported in 2004 that tolls on such a route may be a high as $4.17-per trip, and in today’s standards that may even be a low estimate. Tolls remain one of the controversial aspects of the project, and there is even a Facebook page dedicated to the upgrade of Georgia 316 without the use of tolls.

Collins Hill Road intersects Georgia 316 west at the final signalized intersection along University Parkway. From this point westward, Georgia 316 upgrades to nearly freeway standards with the exception of turn-offs for University Center Lane and Walter Boulevard.

What was a simple partial "Y" interchange between Georgia 316 and Interstate 85 at Exit 103 was upgraded as part of a $147-mllion project and completed in October 20, 2007. Added were flyover ramps connecting Georgia 316 west with Interstate 85 south on the right-hand side and adjacent Pleasant Hill Road. The upgrade also provides direct HOV-lane connections between the two freeways.

Approaching former Georgia 280 along Interstate 285 south (inner) at Atlanta. Georgia 260 was truncated from its terminus at U.S. 278 & Georgia 12 (Covington Highway) east of Interstate 285 to Exit 61B of Interstate 20.

Speed limits along Interstate 20 in eastern Alabama were lowered on March 19, 2010 from 70 to 55 mph following the death of woman killed by a stone kicked up from a vehicle traveling over a pothole. The speed restriction is in place through Calhoun and Cleburne Counties between Oxford and the Georgia state line. A widening project between mileposts 182 and 186 is planned and upon completion, speed limits are expected to return to 70 mph.
For what its worth, every vehicle we encountered was traveling between 65-70 mph or greater on the 32-mile stretch.

Golden Springs Road leads north from Exit 188 of Interstate 20 to the Anniston East Bypass. The four to five lane highway first meets U.S. 78 at a one-quarter cloverleaf interchange and then transitions into an arterial without controlled access. This section of roadway opened in October 2004 between I-20 and Choccoiocco Road. Further north, construction of a new 8-mile roadway (Alabama 192) is now underway as a $29.4-million stimulus project started on October 13, 2009. Alabama 192 will link U.S. 431 at Saks to the existing Anniston East Bypass near Coleman Road. Work should be completed in 2012 or 2013.

A major widening project (from four to six lanes) is underway along Interstate 20 between Exits 158 and 147 in St. Clair County, Alabama. Work on this section of roadway is slated for completion by October 1, 2012.

Some original button copy overheads remain in service along Interstates 20 and 459 in east Birmingham and Irondale.

Construction along Interstate 65 in Shelby County extends the six-lane stretch of freeway south from Exit 247 (Shelby County 17) to Shelby County 52 (Exit 242). Future work will extend the six to eight lane freeway southward to the Shelby County Airport interchange (Exit 234).

Last, but not least, construction to modernize and improve Interstate 65 through Montgomery is still underway. The 4.61-mile project rebuilds the freeway between the Alabama River and U.S. 80 expressway leading west toward Montgomery Regional Airport. Original concrete was replaced south of Interstate 65 and is currently being overlaid with asphalt to the north. Guide sign structures are also being replaced, and new assemblies, such as this one for Interstate 85 north (Exit 171) are eliminating all ground level assemblies. Work should be done next month.

Sources:

• "I-85 & Hwy 316 Interchange Opens." 11Alive.com, October 20, 2007.
• “I-20 speed limit between Oxford, Georgia to be lowered following death.” Mobile Press-Register, March 18, 2010.
• “Final Segment of Anniston Eastern Bypass Under Way.” ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com, December 16, 2009.
• “ALDOT announces lane closures associated with I-20 widening.” The Daily Home, October 23, 2009.
• “ALDOT soon to widen I-65 to Promenade exit.” Shelby County Reporter, August 26, 2010.

Traveling the Ross Clark Circle around Dothan, pictured here is the approach of the U.S. 84 west and U.S. 431 northbound split. The city of Dothan has sought a freeway for years, but none remains planned. The circle is typical of an older bypass around an Alabaman city. Access is not controlled and commercial development and signalized intersections are too numerous.

Looking south at progress on the Glenwood bypass of U.S. 431 in southern Russell County, Alabama. The new four-lane alignment should be completed later this fall, bring U.S. 431 to four overall lanes between Phenix City and Dothan, Alabama.

A 2008-09 project added a new folded diamond interchange to the U.S. 80 freeway between Phenix City, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia with Riverchase Drive. This exit opens up land along the Chattahoochee River for development and provides an additional north-south corridor into Phenix City via 5th Avenue.

Interstate 185 is designated a Scenic Byway by GDOT from Exit 12 northward to the northern terminus at Interstate 85. Trailblazers for the scenic route line the freeway after each on-ramp.

Widening of Interstate 85 currently extends the six lane portion of freeway southward all the way to Exit 35 from to the previous expanding point of near Exit 51 (Georgia 154). The $374-million project started in Fall 2006 and was completed by August 2010.

Ramp meters began to appear on Atlanta area freeways in 1996 and again in 2005. Wholesale installation and usage of them did not begin in earnest until 2008. They now stretch as far south as Interstate 85 Exit 61, with plans to extend their usage southward to Peachtree City. Ramp meters are in use along Interstate 285, Interstate 85 in Gwinnett County, Interstate 75, Interstate 575, Interstate 20, Georgia 400, and U.S. 78 in Dekalb County. GDOT provides a list and schedule of their usage here.

GDOT, like WSDOT, posts exit numbers within an overall guide sign, separating the Exit XX portion with a horizontal bar from the control points or destinations. A Georgia oddity is attached to the refurbished Georgia 280 overpass above Interstate 285 north (inner loop). Posted here is the one-mile sign for South Atlanta Road with a separate exit tab. This replaced a traditional GDOT sign and may very well be the only external exit tab in the state. The half-mile guide sign for Exit 16 that followed is missing as of September 28, 2010.

Some dynamic message signs posted in the Atlanta metropolitan area are now posting travel times. This particular assembly resides along Interstate 575 north ahead of Exit 3 (Chastain Road).

Sources:

• "GDOT gives July 31 completion for I-85 in Coweta." TheCitizen.com, June 18, 2010.
• Ramp Meter Installation Program, GDOT

Somewhere in all that kudzu, there is an old US-11 bridge.

This sign very likely dates back to the early Tennessee Valley Authority days.

The state line, on old US-45.

One of the back roads of Corinth, MS.

We’re in Alabama now, and this is an abandoned US-72 alignment.

Local plant life.

Apparently, this is a problem.

Good luck finding a state-named interstate shield in Tennessee. I don’t know of any.

That about covers all the types of interstate shields you will find.

Alas, there will be no drinking and driving today.

Nope, not a state-named shield to be found. The last time I saw one was in January, 2004!

This is supposed to be Tennessee secondary route 255, but it definitely isn’t signed that way.

Bridge to nowhere.

Some secondary state route markers.

Interstate 24 barely makes it to Georgia – bouncing out once and then ending at I-59. Here is a shield with an extra-small state name.

Some overuse of the JCT banner.

We’re all mature folks around here and we see nothing unusual about the name of this supermarket.

Apparently, these truck route markers all over Birmingham are some of the oldest shields in Alabama. There are many more, and Jeff Royston has much better photos of them.

One with, one without.

Button copy is getting hard to find in Alabama. This gantry may very well be gone by now.

I do not know why they taped over the state name on this shield.

Alabama is filled with goats.

An old US-11 alignment somewhere in western Alabama.

Here is where the old alignment comes in. This shield is dated 1971 on the back.

The corresponding green sign is probably equally as old.

We’re back in Mississippi – home of the circle shields.

Another view of the bridge to Kudzuland.

These two state-named shields somehow survived Hurricane Katrina. And with that, we’re back at the airport and that’s it for this trip!

Widening is currently underway along Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama. This project totals 4.613 miles in length and focuses on replacing the original concrete surface with asphalt while expanding the previous four-lane freeway into six lanes overall. Work exists between U.S. 80 (Exit 167) and the Alabama River bridge. Overhead highway signs along the stretch were replaced during the project. See Progress65 for more details.

New diagrammatical overhead for the split of Interstate 85 north from Interstate 65 north in Montgomery.

Continuing north along Interstate 65, widening is also underway between Exits 262A and 264 in north Birmingham, with additional work slated for next year from Exit 265 to 267. Construction focuses on the building of new collector/distributor roadways that will eventually serve the eastern terminus of Interstate 22 (Corridor X). No work has commenced on the interchange itself, but some land clearing of for the eventual path of the new highway has already occurred.

A look at the ongoing road work along Interstate 65 through northern reaches of Birmingham.

Shifting northward toward Nashville, Tennessee, the long-delayed completion of the Tennessee 840 beltway is moving closer to fruition. 60 of the 78 mile-route is now open to traffic, with crews working on either constructing or developing the final stretch between U.S. 31 and Tennessee 100. Work on 6.1 miles of new freeway between Tennessee 100 to Tennessee 46 (Pinewood Road) is currently underway along this stretch involving grading, drainage, and the building of bridges. Completion of that stretch should occur by 2011. The 7.9-mile segment between Leipers Creek Road and U.S. 31 (Columbia Pike) is also underway, with an opening expected in 2012. This leaves the stretch between Tennessee 46 and Leipers Creek Road, which remains in the developmental stage of work. More info can be found on the TDOT web site.

Departing Tennessee 840 westbound at Exit 28, junction U.S. 31. A roughly 2.5 mile stretch of completed but unopened roadway stems west from the diamond interchange with Columbia Pike.

If you have never driven Interstate 65 leading north from Tennessee, you will be surprised at how busy the corridor is with commercial trucks. The freeway rivals stretches such as Interstate 70 with its high volume of trucking. With many stretches carrying just four lanes, it can be frustrating trying to maintain a consistent speed with all of the tractor trailers around…

Concrete rehabilitation is currently underway along the Interstate 65 drive between Exits 102 and 112. Orange barrels resume again between Exits 121 and 125 on maintenance related work.

What was once a half-diamond interchange at Kentucky 841 (Gene Snyder Freeway)’s end is now simply a signalized “T” intersection. The westbound ramp to U.S. 42 is closed with all traffic using the footprint of the eastbound on-ramp. This is likely in anticipation for construction involving a new Ohio River bridge for Interstate 265. The proposed East End Bridge of Interstate 265 will consist of a six-lane cable-stayed bridge with 300 foot towers and a 17 foot bike/pedestrian path. Construction on the new bridge is slated to begin in 2010 with a targeted completion of 2013. See the East End Bridge page for more details.

Traffic shifts to the left at what was the beginning of the U.S. 42 northbound on-ramp from Kentucky 841.

Within Louisville, construction is underway along Interstate 65 from Exit 132 southward to Exit 125 (Interstate 265). The northbound direction is complete at this time, offering a unobstructed drive into downtown. Southbound work however continues on what is dubbed “Revive 65″, a $28.7-million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project aimed at replacing the 1988-concrete surface with asphalt.

Interstate 65 utilizes a series of viaducts on its northward approach into downtown Louisville. Pictured here is the Exit 136A off-ramp to Broadway (U.S. 150).

Even though a pair of end signs for Indiana 265 reside at the Exit 10A/B cloverleaf interchange with 10th Street/Indiana 6 north, ITS mile markers continue along Port Road south from the freeway end to milepost 10.0. These markers include Interstate 265 shields as well…

Recent construction on the next leg of Foley Beach Express’ northward extension is already opened. The roadway stems north from Baldwin County 28 to Baldwin County 32.

Signed as Baldwin County 83 and not the Foley Beach Express, the new four-lane highway travels 1.5 miles across Baldwin County 28 west to Baldwin County 32 opposite Lehman Road. No construction is present leading north.

Mast-arm traffic light assemblies are increasing their presense throughout south Alabama. This particular assembly is one of many new signals posted along Alabama 181 between Baldwin County 32 and Interstate 10. Posted at Baldwin County 48, the new signals lie just north of a new signalized intersection for a freshly built Wal-Mart Supercenter…

Long talked about widening of Alabama 181 is now underway. This was one of the plans for former Baldwin County 27 when the county conducted a mileage swap with the state for Alabama 112. Four-laning is underway in various stages between Alabama 104 and U.S. 90.

Interstate 10 westbound’s Exit 22A ramp to Alabama 163 (Dauphin Island Parkway) northbound is closed for a 30-day period. Work began on September 14. Note the Clearview fonted base closure sign.

A now the first Clearview-based highway guide sign posted along Interstate 10. This mileage sign lies west of Exit 10 with Mobile County 39. Clearview is also found on bridge identification signs and Mobile County area street signs.

Work began December 2007 on a $10.2 million extension of County Highway 39 from a folded-diamond interchange with U.S. 90 to Padgett Switch Road at Half Mile Road to the south. This construction is very near completion based upon a recent visit and a Mobile Press Register news story published today.

Upon completion, travelers heading to/from Interstate 10 and Bayou La Batre will have a direct route to Mobile and points north for hurricane evacuation purposes. The placement of a CSX Railroad parallel to U.S. 90 allows for County Highway 39 to have not only an interchange with U.S. 90. but also an interchange with Park Boulevard and Gibson Road near Mobile International Raceway.

View some images from the soon to be opened highway.

Departing Mobile County 39 on the U.S. 90 off-ramp; construction is clearly near completion. Photo taken 04/26/09.

Leaving Mobile International Raceway, trailblazers were posted for Interstate 10 and U.S. 90. Gibson Road enters from the left and will provide access (via a folded diamond interchange) to Mobile County 39 north for Exit 10 of the freeway. Photo taken 04/26/09.

Padgett Switch Road northbound at Half Mile Road and the future beginning of Mobile County 39 north. Note that the intersection will include a full traffic light upon opening. The road begins with just two lanes initially. Photo taken 04/26/09.

The new carriageway will carry northbound Foley Beach Express, though we would not be surprised if the facility opens with a two-lane configuration temporarily. A 45-mph speed limit is already posted along the unopened stretch north of the present Foley Beach Expressway east-west alignment. Drivers will be required to make a 90 degree turn between the extension and original roadway once the 1.5-mile extension opens.

Photos from yesterday:

Looking south at Baldwin County 28S from the Foley Beach Expressway. Widening of the rural two-lane road into a four-lane approach is part of the project.

Heading north from the Foley Beach Express, Baldwin County 28 sees construction of the future northbound carriageway of the FBE extension.

Looking north from the Baldwin County 28S intersection with Baldwin County 28, where the Foley Beach Express continues northward over Eagle Road. Note the 45 mph speed limit sign already posted by the asphalt roadway.

Baldwin County 32 east at the north end of Foley Beach Express construction. Construction signs tout “Road Work Next 1.8 miles –>”, which likely entails .3 miles of County Road 28 south of the current Foley Beach Expressway. No work is present north of Baldwin County 32.

Reassurance assembly for both Alabama 55 and Florida 85 just south of the intersection with US 331 in Florala, Alabama

I believe that the ‘SOUTH’ banner for Florida 85 should instead be a trailblazer showing ‘TO’ Florida 85, but never the less, it is signed as if it is actually cosigned along with Alabama 55 heading south into Florida. So, for all intents and purposes according to the signage, Florida 85 begins its 57 mile trek toward Fort Walton Beach at the intersection with US 331 in downtown Florala, not at the state line. It is cosigned with Alabama 55 south to the state line where the Alabama state designation ends, though there is no ‘END’ shield assembly, and continues on into Florida. This is, though, another good example of an erroneous sign error made by DOT’s and sign companies across the country. Way to go ALDOT.