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Interstate 59 South - Georgia to Gadsden
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Welcome to Alabama sign posted after the Georgia state line near the I-59 crossing of Red River Branch. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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The Alabama and Georgia state line marks the boundary between Eastern and Central Time Zones. Drivers along Interstate 59 southbound gain an hour. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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A tourist information center and rest area follow along the southbound side near Red River Branch and Fox Mountain. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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The first exit within the Heart of Dixie joins Interstate 59 with Dekalb County 140 near the settlement of Sulphur Springs. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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One half mile out from the Exit 239 diamond interchange with Dekalb County 140 (Sulphur Springs Road). U.S. 11 parallels the freeway closely along the east side from Rising Fawn, Georgia to Rodgers. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Exit 239 parts ways with Interstate 59 south for Sulphur Springs Road. CR-140 winds westward onto Sand Mountain on the trek to Alabama 75 at Ider. Sulphur Springs lies to the west of the county road via Dekalb County 738. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Interstate 59 is designated the Korean Way Memorial Highway in northeastern Alabama. The lightly traveled freeway parallels Little Ridge and Big Ridge throughout much of Dekalb County. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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The city of Fort Payne is the next major population center along Interstate 59 south in 18 miles while Gadsden is less than an hour away. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Traveling through Dugout Valley along Dry Creek, Interstate 59 sees a carriageway split just west of the U.S. 11 turn across Big Ridge toward Hammondville. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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One mile north of the Exit 231 diamond interchange with Alabama 117 at the town of Hammondville. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Alabama 117 winds westward from Interstate 59 through Whiteoak Gap to split with Alabama 40, a 21.18-mile route west to Henagar and junction Alabama 35 by Guntersville Lake. SR 117 ventures north from there 37 miles to Ider, Flat Rock, Stevenson and the Tennessee state line. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Heading south from Interstate 59 and Exit 231, Alabama 117 drops from Big Ridge to Hammondville and a short overlap with U.S. 11. The state route connects the town with nearby Valley Head, Mentone and Desoto State Park. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Interstate 59 continues south through Dugout Valley along side Big Ridge through to the County Road 608 overpass. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Fort Payne is now ten miles to the south, followed by Gadsden 42 miles further. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Traffic veers southward across Bridge Road ahead of the July 30, 2010 opened diamond interchange (Exit 224) with 49th Street in north Fort Payne. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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A new roadway (49th Street) was constructed in conjunction with Exit 224 to serve Fort Payne Industrial Park along Gault Avenue (County Road 137). The east-west road cuts through Big Ridge between the freeway and Railroad Valley and replaces the narrow alignment of 48th Street. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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U.S. 11 swaps sides with Interstate 59 south just ahead of the Exit 224 off-ramp to 49th Street. The US route arcs westward to Isbell Field before meeting the freeway directly at Exit 222. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Interstate 59 enters Big Wills Valley from Exit 224 southwest through to a point east of Duck Springs in Etowah County. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Birmingham appears on southbound mileage sign for the first time in Alabama south of 49th Street. Alabama's largest city is 98 miles to the southwest. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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A diamond interchange joins Interstate 59 with U.S. 11 (Greenhill Boulevard) ahead of its cut through Big Ridge to Gault Avenue within the Fort Payne street grid. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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U.S. 11 lines Gault Avenue through downtown Fort Payne, exiting the city southward through Little Wills Valley. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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The second Fort Payne exit departs Interstate 59 south at Exit 222. Interests to Little River Canyon National Preserve should follow U.S. 11 (Gault Avenue) south to Alabama 35 (5th Street) and the Appalachian Highlands Scenic Byway. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Remaining with in the Fort Payne city limits, Interstate 59 continues along the west slope of Big Ridge. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Alabama 35 exits Fort Payne and an overlap with U.S. 11 (Gault Avenue) to climb Big Ridge and meet Interstate 59 at a commercialized diamond interchange (Exit 218). Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Alabama 35 comprises a 68.29-mile route from Alabama 9, south of Gaylesville to Blanche, Fort Payne, Rainsville, Scottsboro and U.S. 72 near Woodville. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Exit 218 departs Interstate 59 south at Alabama 35 (Glenn Boulevard) in Fort Payne. This interchange provides the first array of traveler services south from Georgia. SR-35 comprises a four-lane highway west from the city to Pine Ridge and the eight mile drive to Rainsville. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Southbound reassurance marker posted after Exit 205. Frontage roads (Industrial Lane / Briarwood Avenue) accompany the freeway through to County Road 51 (Lebanon Road). Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Collinsville, the last exit of DeKalb County, follows in 14 miles. Gadsden is now 39 miles away. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Outside the city limits of Fort Payne, Interstate 59 separates with a forested median. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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The scene along Interstate 59 south near the community of Lebanon through Big Wills Valley. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Dekalb County 483 spans I-59 from parallel County Road 51 through Portersville Gap to U.S. 11 in Little Wills Valley. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Next along Interstate 59 south is the Exit 205 diamond interchange with Alabama 68 at the town of Collinsville. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Alabama 68 travels 18.8 miles west from Interstate 59 at Collinsville to Dawson, Crossville, and an end at Alabama 75 outside Albertville. SR 168 splits with the route at Kilpatrick for interests west to Boaz. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Southbound Interstate 59 at the Exit 205 off-ramp to Alabama 68. SR 68 follows Little Wills Creek on the drop from I-59 to junction U.S. 11 at the Collinsville town center. Beyond a short overlap, the state route climbs again onto Lookout Mountain en route to Weiss Lake and Centre. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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A junction Alabama 68 shield resides along the southbound off-ramp from I-59. Alabama 68 east concludes its 52.93-mile route as Georgia 114 northeast of Gaylesville. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Leaving Collinsville, southbound motorists next reach Gadsden in 26 miles. Birmingham is now 79 miles to the southwest. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Interstate 59 passes over Stephens Gap Road ahead of the southeastern curve across Big Ridge. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Facing southeasterly along Interstate 59 across Big Ridge. The freeway lowers into Little Wills Valley and lines Lookout Mountain through to Gadsden. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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The first of three Gadsden exits joins Interstate 59 with Alabama 211 (Noccalula Parkway) at the town of Reece City in one mile. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Interstate 59 again switches sides with U.S. 11 on the southwesterly trek through Little Wills Valley. Alabama 211 ends at the parallel US highway just 0.42 miles to the north in Reece City. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Alabama 211 (Noccalula Parkway) meanders southeast from Interstate 59 (Exit 188) onto Lookout Mountain to north Gadsden and Noccalula Falls, a 90 foot cascading waterfall surrounded by a city park. The state route provides an alternate route to downtown via its south end at U.S. 278 & 431 (Meighan Boulevard). Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Interstate 59 parallels Little Wills Creek southwest along Lookout Mountain through to the city of Gadsden. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Downtown Gadsden is still a nine-mile drive from Interstate 59 south near Exit 188. Birmingham is now an hour away. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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U.S. 278 & 431 combine from East Gadsden through downtown to Attalla along a 7.99-mile overlap. The tandem meet Interstate 59 at a split-diamond interchange (Exit 183) with Cleveland Avenue in one mile. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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The first guide sign for Interstate 759 (Gadsden Spur) resides two miles north of the Exit 183 directional cloverleaf interchange. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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U.S. 278 joins Gadsden and Attalla with Piedmont to the east and Cullman to the west. U.S. 431 enters Attalla from Guntersville and Albertville to the north and departs to Anniston and Oxford to the south. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Exit 183 leaves Interstate 59 south for U.S. 278 & 431. The pair travel 5th Avenue west to the Attalla city center and junction U.S. 11 (3rd Street) and Meighan Boulevard east to their partition at Piedmont Cutoff Highway. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Traveling above U.S. 278 & 431 and parallel Cleveland Avenue, southbound motorists along I-59 next meet the west end of Interstate 759 (Exit 182), the 4.54-mile Gadsden Spur to South Gadsden and U.S. 411 near Rainbow City. Photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Crossing Big Wills Creek between the Cleveland Avenue on-ramp and junction Interstate 759 (Exit 182). Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Exit 182 quickly departs Interstate 59 southbound beyond Big Wills Creek for Interstate 759 east into Gadsden. The freeway opened in 1986. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Gore point signs at freeway to freeway connections generally feature the route shield per ALDOT signing practices. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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A pair of shields precede the loop ramp from I-59 south onto I-759 south. A ramp stub present alludes to a proposed westward extension of Interstate 759 to Attalla. First photo taken 06/25/12. Second photo taken 06/18/05. |
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Alabama 77 (Gilbert Ferry Road) arcs southwest from U.S. 431 at Ridgeville to bypass Attalla through to a folded-diamond interchange (Exit 181) with Interstate 59. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Exit 181 loops away from Interstate 59 south onto Alabama 77. SR 77 passes by Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) to become Grand Avenue through Rainbow City. The state route continues from U.S. 411 to Southside and Talladega along a 112.33-mile course to Lafayette. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Leaving the Gadsden and Attalla area, Interstate 59 enters Canoe Creek Valley on the seven mile approach to Steele. First photo taken 06/25/12. Second photo taken 06/25/12. |
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Little Canoe Creek flows southeast from Red Mountain to separate Etowah and St. Clair Counties across Interstate 59. Photo taken 06/25/12. |
Photo Credits:
2005-06-18 by AARoads. 2012-06-25 by AARoads.
Connect with:
Interstate 759 - Gadsden Spur
U.S. Highway 431
Page Updated 10-23-2012. |
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