U.S. 431

Home » Guides » Alabama » U.S. 431

U.S. 431 originates in Dothan and serves southeastern reaches of Alabama north to Abbeville, Eufaula and Phenix City. Following an arterial bypass of Phenix City, U.S. 431 combines with U.S. 280 northwest 25.17 miles to I-85/U.S. 29 at Opelika. Running along the east side of Opelika, U.S. 431 continues north with two lanes to the Chambers County seat of La Fayette and the Randolph County seat of Wedowee.

Gradually turning northwest, U.S. 431 traverses areas of Talladega National Forest, crossing Horseblock Mountain to Interstate 20 east of Anniston. U.S. 431 was realigned off U.S. 78 and onto overlap with I-20 west from Exit 191 to Exit 188, and north onto an at-grade bypass (Veterans Memorial Parkway) to SR 21. The new 11.56 mile long alignment was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on May 25, 2016.

U.S. 431 constitutes a four lane highway north from Anniston to Glencoe and Gadsden. U.S. 278 combines with U.S. 431 west for 9.91 miles west across Gadsden to Attalla. Resuming a northward course, U.S. 431 heads to Boaz, Albertville and the Marshall County seat of Guntersville. Northwest into Huntsville, U.S. 431 combined with U.S. 231 along Memorial Parkway, a freeway extending north past Downtown to U.S. 72 at Sparkman Drive. U.S. 231/431 overlap north 19.26 miles to Tennessee en route to U.S. 64 at Fayetteville.

U.S. 431 Alabama Guides

Prior to 1953, U.S. 431 concluded at Fayetteville, Tennessee. With concurrence by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on November 18, 1953, U.S. 431 was extended south along U.S. 231 to Huntsville, and over U.S. 241 southeast from U.S. 231 to Guntersville and U.S. 78 at Anniston. U.S. 431 took over Alabama State Route 37 south through Roanoke, Lafayette and Opelika, where it again replaced U.S. 241 south to Phenix City, Eufaula and Dothan. The extension of U.S. 431 eliminated the intrastate route of U.S. 241.

Further extension of U.S. 431 was proposed southwest from Dothan to Panama City, Florida. The request was jointly made to AASHO by Alabama

to accommodate interstate tourist traffic.
and Florida
To provide a shorter, less congested route to the Gulf Beaches of West Florida, which is the recreational center of this area.
The proposal outlined a short overlap with U.S. 231 south onto Alabama Route 109 to the state line. Within Florida, U.S. 431 would have followed State Road 77 to Chipley, SR 277 from Chipley to SR 79 at Vernon, and SR 79 south to U.S. 98 at Panama City Beach. The application was rejected by AASHO on June 28, 1961
For the reason that the Dothan, Alabama area and the Panama City, Florida area are now connected by a U.S. Route and that there is no indication of overcrowding of the existing route. Further, the new proposed route does not qualify because it does not meet the requirements set forth in Item 14 of the "Purpose and Policy in the Establishment and Development of the U.S. Numbered Highways," adopted January 1, 1959. Lastly, the purpose of the U.S. Route Numbered System is to provide the shortest and best route between major areas without duplication in accordance with Item 4 of the above referred to policy.

The first of several changes to U.S. 431 took place in Phenix City, where the route was relocated west from Downtown onto an at-grade bypass concurrent with U.S. 280. Approved by AASHO on June 6, 1964, The 3.00 mile long realignment was 0.86 miles shorter than the course along Seale Road, Broad Street, 13th Street, 14th Street, Crawford Road and Opelika road. A 1.72 mile realignment of U.S. 431 shifted the route east to bypass Opelika along Fox Run Parkway between I-85/U.S. 29-280 at Columbus Parkway and West Point Parkway (old U.S. 29). The former route west into Downtown Opelika along Tobert Boulevard, 8th Street, 2nd Avenue and Sanford Avenue was delated from the Alabama Highway System. Fox Run Parkway was open to traffic in 1987 and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) concurred with the change on October 11, 1991.

Within the city of Dothan, U.S. 431 was relocated onto the eastern half of Ross Clark Circle (SR 210) and the former route north through Downtown redesignated as U.S. 431 Business. These changes were approved by AASHTO on October 5, 1996. There are no other business routes for U.S. 431 in Alabama.

U.S. 431 was realigned to bypass Seale along a four lane highway in 2004. The former route was redesignated as Russell County Route 137. The 6.31 mile long realignment of U.S. 431 was approved by AASHTO on April 15, 2005. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) completed the four lane expansion of U.S. 431 between Dothan and Phenix City in 2010. AASHTO preapproved the 9.56 mile long relocation of the highway west of Glenville and east of Pittsview in Russell County on October 23, 2009.

U.S. 431 North
U.S. 431 was realigned in 2016 to overlap with I-20 west from Exit 191 to Exit 188 / Leon Smith Parkway at Oxford. Turning north, U.S. 431 spans U.S. 78 and a Norfolk Southern Railroad along a viaduct to Golden Springs Road. An access road links U.S. 431 at Jimmy Hinton Drive with U.S. 78. 10/03/10
U.S. 431 (Meighan Boulevard) north converges with U.S. 278 (Pietmont Cutoff Highway) west in the city of Gadsden. 07/26/22
U.S. 278 travels east from Gadsden into the neighboring city of Hokes Bluff en route to Piedmont and Cedartown, Georgia. 07/26/22
U.S. 278 West U.S. 431 North
U.S. 278 combines with U.S. 431 (Meighan Boulevard) for 9.91 miles west across Gadsden to Attalla. 07/26/22
Serving a pair of nearby schools, a pedestrian bridge spans U.S. 278/431 north of Raley Street. 07/26/22
U.S. 431 South
U.S. 431 bypasses the east side of Opelika along Fox Run Parkway. The route formerly combined with U.S. 280 along Columbus Parkway east from the city center. U.S. 280 was subsequently realigned to circumvent Opelika on Interstate 85. Fox Run Parkway otherwise extends southwest toward SR 51 (Marvyn Parkway). 10/15/99
U.S. 280 East U.S. 431 South
U.S. 280 east / U.S. 431 south overlap 22 miles from I-85 at Opelika to U.S. 80 (J.R. Allen Parkway) at Phenix City. U.S. 80 comprises a freeway bypass along the north side of Phenix City and Columbus, Georgia, connecting U.S. 280/431 with I-185. 10/15/99



Photo Credits:

  • 10/15/99 by AARoads.
  • 10/03/10 by AARoads.
  • 07/26/22 by AARoads and JP Nasiatka.

Connect with:
Interstate 85
Interstate 565
U.S. 29
U.S. 72
U.S. 78
U.S. 80
U.S. 82
U.S. 84
U.S. 231
U.S. 280
State Route 9

Page Updated 08-22-2022.

Go to Top