Beginning in Montgomery, Interstate 85 travels northeast 80 miles to the Chattahoochee River at Lanett. Suburban growth extends east along the freeway to Exit 16 at Pike Road in Montgomery County and again through the Auburn and Opelika area. The bulk of the route otherwise is rural with four overall lanes.
Exit 50 with Cox Road in western Auburn opened to traffic on November 29, 2012. The $18.3 million project serves Auburn Technology Park, western reaches of the city and football traffic during Auburn University home games.1 Construction on the federally funded project was to begin between October 2003 and October 2004 and run for about two years.2 However work did not commence until January 2011.
16.4 miles of Interstate 85 opened between Shorter (Exit 22) and Alabama 81 (Exit 38) in 1965.3
Interstate 85 Alabama Guides
Unlikely due to a lack of funding, if the Montgomery Outer Loop (SR 108) is ever completed, Interstate 85 will be relocated to the south from Exit 15 to I-65 near Hope Hull. The remainder of I-85 west through Montgomery will be renumbered as I-685 if that is the case. I-685 was preapproved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on October 30, 2010.
 scenes |
 | Court Street southbound at the northside frontage road for Interstate 85 in the city of Montgomery. 08/22/03 |
  | The final entrance ramp for Interstate 85 lowers from South and Court Streets south of Downtown Montgomery. 08/22/03 |
- "New I-85 Interchange in Auburn Completed and Open to Traffic." ALDOT Press Release, November 29, 2012.
- "Auburn plans new interchange off Interstate 85," Mobile Register (AL). May 4, 2003.
- "61 Miles of Interstate Will Open During 1965." Times Daily (Florence, AL), May 11, 1965.
Photo Credits:
08/22/03 by AARoads and Justin Cozart
Connect with:
Interstate 65
U.S. 80
U.S. 231
U.S. 280
U.S. 431
Page Updated 08-03-2022.