Routings of US 78 in Jasper, Alabama

[bugo]

It looks to be fairly obvious that US 78 followed what Google has marked as "Old Birmingham Highway" from the east, which turns into 23rd St E. Somehow it made it to what is now shown as AL 69, AKA Elliot Blvd. There's also an "Old Russelville Rd" that might have been part of US 78 at one time. Was Viking Drive ever part of US 78? Or did ALDOT build the relocation of US 78 at the same time they built the worthless bypass north of town? How did it stairstep its way through downtown?

Also, what's up with the convoluted routing of AL 69 through town? Did they just not want Viking Drive to be on the state system?

Jasper is the town where I saw the infamous severed Holstein head sitting at the side of the road. I wish I had my camera back then.

[NE2]

http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/counties/walker/walker.html

[bugo]

http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/counties/walker/walker.html

Could they have made that site any more counterintuitive to use? I give up.

[NE2]

Click one of the JPEG links in the top table.

[rcm195]

Being a life long resident of Jasper, I'll try and help you with a little history of old 78.

And by the way, if you find it fun to ride on the old highways, there are bits and pieces of the old 78 still there. You can get lost however trying to find them. The old Birmingham highway segment starts out near the Mulberry Fork of the Warrior river. This indeed was old 78. It came into Jasper on 23rd street east, turned right on what is Birmingham Ave, went three blocks to 20th street and turned left. Then followed 20th street along with Al 69 west until you got to McCollum Hill. There, what is now state highway 124, is what used to be 78. Most of that road is intact and original, however some parts of it were moved in order to strip mine where the original road bed was. It nearly gets to Carbon Hill. Al. 124 is unique in that is does not cross into another county.

I'm nearly 55 now, and have childhood memories of riding on some of the old 78. I still remember my Grandmother driving my Grandfathers Cadillac to Birmingham to go Christmas Shopping, and we were on the old two lane road. I could not have been more than 3 or 4 years old, but can still see machinery working on what is now the old four lane just west of Graysville.

As four the small overpass, keep in mind this was built in the early 1960's. Very little commercial development had taken place on this stretch of four lane. I live less than a mile from this little bridge. You are correct, it is way to small, much too old to still be using, in fact I think has been condemned by the state, and supposed to be replaced. Where my parents house was( and both are long dead), there was a junction 78 sign just north of that little bridge when 78 run the old four lane. To my knowledge, the sign was placed there in the middle 60's. It was very beat up, and dinged, and dirty. But it reminded me of "home" whenever I saw it. When 78 was moved to corridor X in 2001, the state let me have that sign(plus the JCT part above it). It is now hanging in my gameroom, a treasured possession of mine! Oh, and all cleaned up, but still with all the dents.

As for 69 running through Jasper, as I stated, it came in on 20th street, turned left on Corona Ave, went one block to 19th street, what is now Viking drive, and followed it till it ran into the old four lane.

I hope this helps. If you want to more more, let me know. I know this sound a bit corny, but as I get older, these memories mount up, and mean something. I had a brother who lived in Missouri during the 1970's. As a teenager, there are many great memories on riding the two lane 78 through Mississippi. But hey, that's another story.

[rcm195]

Almost forgot, the reason 69 was rerouted, was the during 1970's and 80's coal mining was king in Walker County. Many of the coal trucks were running the original route I mentioned above, and it went pass both the local high school(Walker Vikings, ie Viking Drive) and an elementary school. Plus some residential areas. The city of Jasper was able to get the state of Al to move the route onto newly built Elliott Blvd, and take it out of these areas.

Today, it actually needs to be rerouted again, along I-22 until it gets to Industrial Blvd, then back up to the old four lane.

[codyg1985]

Almost forgot, the reason 69 was rerouted, was the during 1970's and 80's coal mining was king in Walker County. Many of the coal trucks were running the original route I mentioned above, and it went pass both the local high school(Walker Vikings, ie Viking Drive) and an elementary school. Plus some residential areas. The city of Jasper was able to get the state of Al to move the route onto newly built Elliott Blvd, and take it out of these areas.

Today, it actually needs to be rerouted again, along I-22 until it gets to Industrial Blvd, then back up to the old four lane.

I didn't realize that was the reason AL 69 was rerouted. The route through town now is probably faster than going up Elliot Blvd and along what used to be US 78.

I agree with moving Al 69 onto I-22 and Industrial Pkwy. Then extend AL 124 over current AL 69 to AL 269, and then extend AL 269 north to AL 118, then extend AL 118 east to the AL 5 overpass.

I suppose AL 195 (and, at one time, AL 5) used to follow 9th Avenue down to 15th Street, then went east on 15th Street which became 4th Avenue once it made the bend at the former Jewish Synagogue in the "Church Area," and then went down to 20th Street where US 78 (and AL 69) used to follow.

[rcm195]

You're almost right Cody. What was 195, and used to be 5, followed the route like you said, but turned on 5th Avenue in front of the Synagogue. Then went all the down to 20th street(old 78). The train depot was right on you're right as the two highways met. Sad, that the old depot was torn down many years ago.

I guess you know the story of "5 and 195". 5 was the original numbered state route that went from Jasper to Double Springs, then on to Hayleville. The first part of what is now 5 was built by the WPA(some of these young guys here won't even know what that is!) in the 1930's, but only to the Walker- Winston county line. It was not finished to what is 278 until after WW2. I think in the 1950's. This is even before my time, my Dad used to tell me these stories. Also my family was in the coal mining industry in northwest Alabama for many decades.

[codyg1985]

You're almost right Cody. What was 195, and used to be 5, followed the route like you said, but turned on 5th Avenue in front of the Synagogue. Then went all the down to 20th street(old 78). The train depot was right on you're right as the two highways met. Sad, that the old depot was torn down many years ago.

I guess you know the story of "5 and 195". 5 was the original numbered state route that went from Jasper to Double Springs, then on to Hayleville. The first part of what is now 5 was built by the WPA(some of these young guys here won't even know what that is!) in the 1930's, but only to the Walker- Winston county line. It was not finished to what is 278 until after WW2. I think in the 1950's. This is even before my time, my Dad used to tell me these stories. Also my family was in the coal mining industry in northwest Alabama for many decades.

Ah, that makes sense. It put the old Dairy Queen at 18th St and 5th Ave along AL 5. I don't know when it was first opened. I don't even remember the depot growing up.

I didn't know about the 5 and 195 switcharoo. Current AL 5 does seem straighter and more modern than AL 195. I do know that US 278 used to follow AL 195 from Double Springs up the Haleyville, and then AL 129 south back to the current alignment of US 278 in Marion County.

[rcm195]

Cody, just wondering if you knew the reason the state decided to stop 5 at 278, and replace it with 13 going on to Haleyville, and eventually to the Shoals area? My only thought was that 13 had direct access to I-22 and 5 did not.

[Charles2]

Cody, just wondering if you knew the reason the state decided to stop 5 at 278, and replace it with 13 going on to Haleyville, and eventually to the Shoals area? My only thought was that 13 had direct access to I-22 and 5 did not.

Or could SR 5 have been truncated because SR 13 is either the (largely) unsigned partner of most of US-43 from the Tennessee border to Mobile, and serves an unofficial Alternate 43 for much of the rest of the route?  Of course, there was a time that SR 5 had both its southern and northern termini at US 43, so it could be argued that SR 5 served the same purpose.

Personally, I think SR 5 should be truncated at Woodstock in Bibb County where it junctions US 11, or at least at Exit 97 of I-20/59.  It's really bizarre that SR 5 goes NE-SW between Thomasville and near Legion Field, then goes NW-SE between Legion Field and Natural Bridge.  Should US 78 be rerouted onto its previous routing once I-22 is completed, SR-5 north of Birmingham should be eliminated altogether, and the stretch between Jasper and Natural Bridge should be given another designation.  Hello, SR 305, or perhaps a convoluted extension of SR 269?

On a side note: I drove through Haleyville today and noticed a "Hwy. 5" street sign on what is now SR 13.

[rcm195]

That is a thought. If the 13 project to four lane it all the way to I-22 north of Eldridge is ever done( which none of us will ever live to see!), have I not read somewhere that US 43 would then be moved to follow that route, possibly submerging 13 altogether?

[codyg1985]

Cody, just wondering if you knew the reason the state decided to stop 5 at 278, and replace it with 13 going on to Haleyville, and eventually to the Shoals area? My only thought was that 13 had direct access to I-22 and 5 did not.

Or could SR 5 have been truncated because SR 13 is either the (largely) unsigned partner of most of US-43 from the Tennessee border to Mobile, and serves an unofficial Alternate 43 for much of the rest of the route?  Of course, there was a time that SR 5 had both its southern and northern termini at US 43, so it could be argued that SR 5 served the same purpose.

Personally, I think SR 5 should be truncated at Woodstock in Bibb County where it junctions US 11, or at least at Exit 97 of I-20/59.  It's really bizarre that SR 5 goes NE-SW between Thomasville and near Legion Field, then goes NW-SE between Legion Field and Natural Bridge.  Should US 78 be rerouted onto its previous routing once I-22 is completed, SR-5 north of Birmingham should be eliminated altogether, and the stretch between Jasper and Natural Bridge should be given another designation.  Hello, SR 305, or perhaps a convoluted extension of SR 269?

On a side note: I drove through Haleyville today and noticed a "Hwy. 5" street sign on what is now SR 13.

I think AL 5 used to follow US 43 north into the Shoals, but it was slowly truncated south to its present northern terminus at Natural Bridge. I think AL 5 used to follow US 43 south to Mobile as well.

It would be nice if there was a due north connection for AL 5 between Woodstock and Jasper to make the AL 5 routing more logical, but that would be incredibly difficult to achieve without either upgrading a lot of existing county roads or building an entirely new route. I'm not sure I like the idea of eliminating AL 5 north of Woodstock altogether. I'm not sure which designation would fit well except for AL 269.