Interstate 85 South - Tuskegee to Montgomery

SR 81 joins Interstate 85 at Exit 38 along a 10.43 mile long course north from U.S. 29/80 in Downtown Tuskegee and SR 14 at Notasulga.

12/31/12

SR 81 south serves several points of interest including Moton Field Municipal Airport (06A), Tuskegee University and the Tuskegee Institute & Airmen National Historic Sites. The route also connects with SR 199, a 10.22 mile long highway northwest from Tuskegee to Chehaw, Woodland and SR 14.

12/31/12

SR 81 (Notasulga Road) heads 3.76 miles south to U.S. 29/80 at Main Street and Martin Luther King Highway in Tuskegee. Having followed I-85 southwest from Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. 29 leaves the freeway corridor south to Union Springs, Troy and ultimately Pensacola, Florida.

12/31/12

Continuing west, Tuskegee is referenced on this distance sign for SR 49 north / CR 51 (Pleasant Springs Drive) south, the succeeding exit located in the town of Franklin.

07/12/05

SR 49 south and CR 51 (Pleasant Springs Drive) north come together at a diamond interchange (Exit 32) with Interstate 85 in Franklin.

12/31/12

Beginning at Interstate 85, SR 49 travels 82.68 miles north to Dadeville, Lineville and SR 281 (Talladega Scenic Drive) near Cheaha Mountain, the tallest point in the state.

12/31/12

SR 49 (Tuskegee-Franklin Road) travels 30.17 miles north from Exit 32 to U.S. 280 at Dadeville. CR 51 (Pleasant Springs Drive) angles southeast from I-85/SR 49 to U.S. 80 at western reaches of Tuskegee.

12/31/12

37,855 vehicles per day were recorded by ALDOT in 2021 along Interstate 85 between Exits 32 and 26.

12/31/12

SR 138 joins Interstate 85 with the town of Shorter, located ten miles ahead.

07/11/10

Forest medians separate the roadways of Interstate 85 twice through a series of S-curves along the 6.3 mile stretch between Exits 32 and 26.

12/31/08

Interstate 85 converges with the south end of SR 229 and Macon County Route 30 at a diamond interchange (Exit 26) in one mile.

12/31/12

SR 229 travels 7.95 miles north from Exit 26 to the E V Smith Research Center and SR 14 in the city of Tallassee.

12/31/12

Having only opened in 1985, Exit 26 was a later addition to Interstate 85. SR 229 measures 22.77 miles in length between I-85 and SR 63 near Lake Martin. Removed by 2010, this sign was still missing in 2022.

12/31/08

An Interstate 85 southbound shield precedes the crossing of Calebee Creek.

07/11/10

Curving southwest, Interstate 85 enters the Shorter municipal limits just west of SR 229. The succeeding exit is 3.84 miles ahead with SR 138 near Shorter Town Hall.

07/31/11

CR 40 spans Interstate 85 one mile from Exit 22 near Victoryland Casino, formerly Macon County Greyhound Park. Races at the facility ended on May 10, 2011 due to financial troubles associated with the prohibition of electronic bingo games. Simulcast dog and horse races however continued at the venue.¹

07/31/11

Unmarked on guide signs along Interstate 85, SR 138 (Main Street) constitutes a 0.79 mile long link between the diamond interchange at Exit 22 and U.S. 80 in Shorter.

07/31/11

Exit 22 departs Interstate 85 south for SR 138 (Main Street) east to U.S. 80 and a local unpaved road north to adjacent businesses and wetland areas along the CSX Railroad.

07/31/11

Straddling the Shorter town line, Interstate 85 advances west across Cubahatchee Creek.

07/31/11

The unincorporated community of Waugh is the next exit along Interstate 85 south and Downtown Montgomery is 20 miles to the west.

07/31/11

Flowing north into the Tallapoosa River, Line Creek separates Macon and Montgomery Counties across Interstate 85.

07/31/11

U.S. 80 converges with Interstate 85 west of Alexander Road at Exit 16, SR 126 (Atlanta Highway) and the town of Pike Road.

12/31/12

U.S. 80 west combines with I-85 south from Exit 16 near Waugh to Exit 6 with East Boulevard in Montgomery. Not acknowledged on guide signs southbound, SR 126 constitutes a loop following Old U.S. 80 to the south and Atlanta Highway to the north through Mt. Meigs.

07/31/11

SR 126 originally followed just Atlanta Highway to the north between the diamond interchange (Exit 16) at Waugh and Exit 11 in the Arrowhead area in Montgomery. When U.S. 80 was relocated northward onto I-85, SR 126 was extended over the former alignment to form a complete loop stretching 11.05 miles overall.

12/31/12

U.S. 80 was relocated onto Interstate 85 west for 9.64 miles from Exit 16 on November 24, 2010.

12/31/12

SR 126 parallels both sides of Interstate 85 west to Mount Meigs and SR 110 (Chantilly Parkway).

01/12/19

Construction between September 2011 and January 26, 2016 expanded I-85 with auxiliary lanes and added a directional T interchange (Exit 15) with SR 108 (Montgomery Outer Loop) west.

01/12/19

SR 108 spurs 2.17 miles south from Exit 15 to SR 110 (Vaughn Road) at Pike Road. Intended to become part of an extended I-85, the Montgomery Outer Loop is a planned freeway leading south and west to I-65 near Hope Hull.

01/12/19

Continuing west from SR 108 (Montgomery Outer Loop), Interstate 85 passes under Wares Ferry Road (CR 64) at the unincorporated Mount Meigs community.

01/12/19

The diamond interchange (Exit 11) with the west end of SR 126, Atlanta Highway north and SR 110 (Chantilly Parkway) south is the first of two exits from I-85/U.S. 80 for Eastchase Parkway. The parallel arterial serves an array of retail including The Shoppes at Eastchase.

06/07/17

SR 126 loops east from Exit 11 along both old U.S. 80 and Atlanta Highway to Mount Meigs and Waugh. SR 110 (Chantilly Parkway) leads southeast to Pike Road and Cecil.

01/12/19

I-85/U.S. 80 cross Jenkins Creek a half mile ahead of Exit 11. A 32.26 mile long highway, SR 110 joins Montgomery with U.S. 82 just west of Union Springs, the seat of Bullock County.

01/12/19

Until 2010, U.S. 80 separated from I-85 at Exit 11 for Atlanta Highway west to Arrowhead, Mitylene and East Boulevard (U.S. 231/SR 21) in Montgomery. Atlanta Highway continues west to become Madison Avenue into Downtown.

01/12/19

I-85/U.S. 80 enter the Montgomery city limits west at the SR 110/126 (Chantilly Parkway) overpass.

01/12/19

East Chase Market Center and big box retail line the south side of I-85/U.S. 80 while a forest stand separates the freeway from the Halcyon Summit subdivision to the north.

01/12/19

SR 271, a 5.44 mile long arterial route between Atlanta Highway (former U.S. 80) and U.S. 231 (Troy Highway), meets I-85/U.S. 80 at Exit 9 in one mile.

01/12/19

Interstate 85 remains wholly within Montgomery west to I-65/U.S. 82. Succeeding exits are for East Boulevard (U.S. 231, U.S. 80 west, and SR 21) in four miles and Perry Hill Road in 5.5 miles.

01/12/19

Signs for Exit 9 previously referenced SR 110 instead of U.S. 231. This changed when SR 110 shifted from an alignment along Carter Hill and Vaughn Roads onto Chantilly Parkway to I-85 at Exit 11. Providing the most direct route to Panama City Beach, Florida, U.S. 231 enters Montgomery from Troy, Ozark and Dothan.

01/12/19

Exit 9 leaves I-85/U.S. 80 west for SR 271 (Taylor Road). Taylor Road heads north to Auburn University at Montgomery and Mitylene and south to U.S. 82/231 (Troy Highway) at Barachias.

01/12/19

Interstate 85 expands to eight overall lanes between Exits 9 and 6. Widening of the freeway to six lanes through eastern Montgomery was completed in the late 1990s.

06/07/17

Bell Road passes over I-85/U.S. 80, one mile east of the directional cloverleaf interchange (Exit 6) with East Boulevard. U.S. 80 combines with U.S. 231/SR 21 south from Exit 6 to U.S. 82 (Troy Highway). U.S. 80/82 continue west from there with SR 21 to I-65 at Exit 168.

01/12/19

East Boulevard is part of an arterial belt system encircling the city of Montgomery built in the 1960s. Service roads and retail accompany most of the system, and East Boulevard at I-85 is no exception.

01/12/19

U.S. 231/SR 21 (East Boulevard) north meets Atlanta Highway (former U.S. 80) at an interchange by Eastdale Mall and Faulkner University en route to Maxwell AFB - Gunter Annex. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival lies just east of U.S. 80-231/SR 21 to the south.

06/07/17

The 1976 State Legislature designated Interstate 85 in Montgomery as the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Expressway, in honor of the civil rights activist. A similar sign is posted on northbound I-85 by the exchange with I-65/U.S. 82.

06/07/17

Two lanes depart I-85 south for U.S. 80 west to East Boulevard. U.S. 231/SR 21 overlap north from Montgomery to Wetumpka, Rockford and Sylacauga.

01/12/19

Interstate 85 travels independent of another route for the final 6.55 miles across Montgomery.

06/16/22

Interchange sequence sign posted one mile from the six-ramp parclo interchange (Exit 4) with Perry Hill Road. Exits to Ann and Mulberry Streets follow at the Oak Park community of Montgomery.

06/16/22

Perry Hill Road leads south from Exit 4 to Vaughn Road (former SR 110).

06/16/22

A lane drop occurs at Exit 4 for Perry Hill Road. Interstate 85 continues west with six overall lanes.

06/16/22

Perry Hill Road leads north from Exit 4 to the intersection of Atlanta Highway (old U.S. 80) and Dalraida Road. Dalraida Road continues from there to Maxwell A.F.B. - Gunter Annex.

06/16/22

The entrance ramp from Perry Hill Road forms an auxiliary lane along I-85 southbound to the diamond interchange (Exit 3) with Ann Street.

06/16/22

Road work in the late 1990s along Interstate 85 between Exits 2 and Exit 7 widened the freeway and added high mast lighting.

06/16/22

Zelda Road constitutes a commercial boulevard heading north from Carter Hill Road at Vaughn Road to Ann Street just south of Exit 3.

06/16/22

South from Exit 3, Ann Street extends to E 5th Street, where it becomes Robinson Hill Road ahead of the Grove Hill neighborhood and Vaughn Road.

06/16/22

North from I-85, Ann Street ties into Madison Avenue midway between intersections with Mt. Meigs Road and Federal Drive north at Atlanta Highway. The intersection of Atlanta Highway and Federal Drive is where U.S. 231/SR 21 originally split with U.S. 80 east from Downtown Montgomery.

06/16/22

Exit 2 connects I-85 south next with Mulberry Street to ASU Stadium, a 26,500 seat venue opened in November 2012. Preceding the Ann Street underpass, this sign was removed during a repaving project in 2016.

12/31/12

A split diamond interchange (Exit 2) joins Interstate 85 with Mulberry Street and adjacent Forest Avenue at Jackson Hospital and Oak Park.

06/16/22

Dynamic message signs display travel times for exits leading away from I-85 on Interstate 65.

06/16/22

The first sign for the south end of Interstate 85 appears two miles out from I-65. The speed limit reduces to 50 miles per hour ahead of Exit 1 for Union Street and the Montgomery central business district.

06/16/22

Union Street provides the most direct route from I-85 north to the Alabama State Capitol. Downtown Montgomery points of interest include the First White House of the Confederacy, Old Alabama Town and the Montgomery Campus of Troy University.

06/16/22

An auxiliary lane opens west from Exit 2 to the split diamond interchange (Exit 1) at Union Street and Court Street. Union Street was part of U.S. 331 until 1990.

06/16/22

The final reassurance marker for Interstate 85 south stands by the Hall Street overpass.

06/16/22

Two lanes separate from southbound at Exit 1 for Union Street and South Street west, 1.25 miles from the end of Interstate 85.

06/16/22

South and Arba Streets comprise service roads between the ramps with I-85 between Downtown and Alabama State University (ASU). Perry Street forms a couplet with Court Street.

06/07/17

Located to the west along U.S. 31 and Birmingham Highway, motorists bound for Maxwell A.F.B are directed onto I-65 north to Herron Street for Maxwell Boulevard (old U.S. 80) to the facility.

06/16/22

Dropping below grade, I-85 passes under Lawrence, Perry and Court Streets. The three level interchange with I-65/U.S. 82 includes a southbound ramp to Day Street. Day Street connects freeway end with Hill Street and Birmingham Highway (old U.S. 31/80) by Maxwell A.F.B.

06/16/22

An overhead at the S Court Street overpass advises motorists of the sharp curve along the ramp to Interstate 65 southbound. Similar warning signs precede the George C. Wallace Tunnel along Interstate 10 at Downtown Mobile.

06/16/22

A majority of the traffic at the south end of I-85 continues onto southbound Interstate 65 toward Mobile. I-65 and I-85 are part of a regional freight corridor from Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia southwest to New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas.

06/16/22

Interstate 65 is a commuter route both south to Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) and U.S. 80 west to Selma, and north to Millbrook and Prattville. Omitted on guide signs from I-85, U.S. 82 overlaps with I-65 for 10.75 miles between South Boulevard and Cobbs Ford Road at Prattville.

06/16/22

An end shield for Interstate 85 was previously posted beyond the Rose L. Parks Avenue underpass.

06/07/17

I-65 passes just west of the Montgomery central business district en route to Birmingham, 87 miles to the north. APL signs were added at the south end of I-85 by January 2019. Both ramps to I-65 were numbered Exit 0 with the change.

06/16/22

The ramp to I-65/U.S. 82 north forms a through and auxiliary lane ahead of Exit 172 for Clay and Herron Streets.

06/16/22

The exit tab for Clay/Herron Streets on the ramp from I-85 south to I-65/U.S. 82 north was missing by February 2022. Both streets lead east to Downtown Montgomery.

01/12/19

Two lanes turn southward from I-85 to join Interstate 65 ahead of Ridgecrest while a single lane forms the Day Street Connector west. The city of Mobile is 164 miles to the south.

12/31/12

The Day Street Connector extends west from I-85 and an entrance ramp from I-65/U.S. 82 south to Day Street at Hill Street.

06/16/22

Hill Streets links with the continuation of Day Street east below I-65/U.S. 82. Day Street west constitutes a multilane boulevard to Birmingham Highway along the south side of Maxwell A.F.B.

06/16/22