Interstate 565: Difference between revisions
→History: There is a notable distinction between the "Continental U.S." which includes Alaska, and the "Contiguous U.S." which does not. |
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Then, during the late 1950s and the 1960s Huntsville underwent population boom due to the growth of the [[U.S. Army Missile Command]] at [[Redstone Arsenal]] and the establishment and rapid growth of the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]s [[Marshall Space Flight Center]], which was located on the same area of land that had been purchased by the [[U.S. Federal Government| Federal Government]] for the purposes of the Arsenal during the [[Second World War]]. |
Then, during the late 1950s and the 1960s Huntsville underwent population boom due to the growth of the [[U.S. Army Missile Command]] at [[Redstone Arsenal]] and the establishment and rapid growth of the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]s [[Marshall Space Flight Center]], which was located on the same area of land that had been purchased by the [[U.S. Federal Government| Federal Government]] for the purposes of the Arsenal during the [[Second World War]]. |
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By about 1967, Huntsville had grown to more than twice the size of Decatur, and more growth was planned there, yet Huntsville was without any [[freeway]] connection with the outside world. Then, it became clear that an [[Interstate spur route]] would become desirable to connect Huntsville with its nearest Interstate Highway [[I - 65]]. This spur would provide Huntsville with a freeway connection to such cities as Birmingham (the largest [[city]] in Alabama), [[Montgomery, AL|Montgomery, Ala.]] (the state capital city), [[Nashville, TN}Nashville, Tenn.]] (that state's capital city), [[Tuscaloosa]] (the location of the main campus of the [[University of Alabama]], and [[Auburn, AL|Auburn, Ala.]] (the location of the major university, [[Auburn University]].) The Interstate Highway spur route number I - 565 was chosen for the proposed freeway. Furthermore, it was eventually decided that rather than terminating at the western edge of Huntsville (somewhere near the Marshall S.F.C., the Redstone Arsenal, and the new [[University of Alabama at Huntsville]], I - 565 |
By about 1967, Huntsville had grown to more than twice the size of Decatur, and more growth was planned there, yet Huntsville was without any [[freeway]] connection with the outside world. Then, it became clear that an [[spur route| Interstate Highway spur route]] would become desirable to connect Huntsville with its nearest Interstate Highway [[I - 65]]. This spur would provide Huntsville with a freeway connection to such cities as Birmingham (the largest [[city]] in Alabama), [[Montgomery, AL|Montgomery, Ala.]] (the state capital city), [[Nashville, TN}Nashville, Tenn.]] (that state's capital city), [[Tuscaloosa]] (the location of the main campus of the [[University of Alabama]], and [[Auburn, AL|Auburn, Ala.]] (the location of the major university, [[Auburn University]].) The Interstate Highway spur route number I - 565 was chosen for the proposed freeway. Furthermore, it was eventually decided that rather than terminating at the western edge of Huntsville (somewhere near the Marshall S.F.C., the Redstone Arsenal, and the new [[University of Alabama at Huntsville]], I - 565 carved it path farther eastward, providing an east-west freeway for Huntsville, whereas it had formerly possessed no freeways at all. On the eastern edge of Huntsville, I - 565 was designed and constructed to feed into [[U.S. Route 72|U.S. Highway 72]]. At the same time that I - 565 was being constucted, U.S. 72 was being widened to a four-lane superhighway all the way from eastern Huntsville to [[South Pittsburg, TN|South Pittsburg, TN]], were it feeds into [[Interstate 24]], and via that highway, to [[Chattanooga, TN|Chattanooga, Tenn.]] |
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The actual highway construction of I - 565 was finally begun in 1987, and the freeway was completed over its entire distance on October 26, 1991. By the time that the construction had begun, Huntsville had become the most populous city in the [[Contiguous United States]] which was not connected to the Interstate Higway System. |
The actual highway construction of I - 565 was finally begun in 1987, and the freeway was completed over its entire distance on October 26, 1991. By the time that the construction had begun, Huntsville had become the most populous city in the [[Contiguous United States]] which was not connected to the Interstate Higway System. |
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Revision as of 02:08, 12 June 2010
.svg) Interstate 565 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_map.svg) | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ALDOT | ||||
| Length | 21.688 mi[1] (34.903 km) | |||
| Existed | 1991–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |   I-65 / SR 20 in Decatur | |||
| East end |  US 72 in Huntsville | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Alabama | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
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Interstate 565 (I-565) is a 22-mile (35 km) long Interstate spur that connects Interstate 65 (I-65) in Decatur, Alabama with U.S. Highway 72 in Huntsville, Alabama.
I-565 serves the cities of Decatur, Madison, and downtown Huntsville. It also provides a route to the Huntsville International Airport.
I-565 forms a part of Appalachian Development Highway System Corridor V. U.S. Highway 72 Alternate also follows this entire route of I-565.
History
When the routes of the Interstate Highway System were first laid out during the 1950s Interstate 65 was routed on nearly a north-south bee line connecting Nashville, Tenn., and Birmingham. Ala.. Hence, it passed just to the east of Decatur, Alabama, which was also a major riverport on the Tennessee River at that time. Also, at that time, Huntsville, Ala. was merely a small town in Madison County, Ala. - much smaller than Decatur was, located in the next county to the east.
Then, during the late 1950s and the 1960s Huntsville underwent population boom due to the growth of the U.S. Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal and the establishment and rapid growth of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations Marshall Space Flight Center, which was located on the same area of land that had been purchased by the Federal Government for the purposes of the Arsenal during the Second World War.
By about 1967, Huntsville had grown to more than twice the size of Decatur, and more growth was planned there, yet Huntsville was without any freeway connection with the outside world. Then, it became clear that an Interstate Highway spur route would become desirable to connect Huntsville with its nearest Interstate Highway I - 65. This spur would provide Huntsville with a freeway connection to such cities as Birmingham (the largest city in Alabama), Montgomery, Ala. (the state capital city), [[Nashville, TN}Nashville, Tenn.]] (that state's capital city), Tuscaloosa (the location of the main campus of the University of Alabama, and Auburn, Ala. (the location of the major university, Auburn University.) The Interstate Highway spur route number I - 565 was chosen for the proposed freeway. Furthermore, it was eventually decided that rather than terminating at the western edge of Huntsville (somewhere near the Marshall S.F.C., the Redstone Arsenal, and the new University of Alabama at Huntsville, I - 565 carved it path farther eastward, providing an east-west freeway for Huntsville, whereas it had formerly possessed no freeways at all. On the eastern edge of Huntsville, I - 565 was designed and constructed to feed into U.S. Highway 72. At the same time that I - 565 was being constucted, U.S. 72 was being widened to a four-lane superhighway all the way from eastern Huntsville to South Pittsburg, TN, were it feeds into Interstate 24, and via that highway, to Chattanooga, Tenn.
The actual highway construction of I - 565 was finally begun in 1987, and the freeway was completed over its entire distance on October 26, 1991. By the time that the construction had begun, Huntsville had become the most populous city in the Contiguous United States which was not connected to the Interstate Higway System.
When I - 565 was first opened, it had road signs indicating it as a north–south highway. This provided a good deal of confusion, since this freeway run actually east–west according to reading either the compass or reading maps. I - 565 was officially re-designated as an east–west freeway not too long after October 1991.[citation needed]
Unlike many urban Interstate Highwayss which have a uniform speed limit of 55 mph (89 km/h), I - 565 runs across open countryside for about 25 miles, and the speed limit there is70 mph (110 km/h). Thus speed limit continues somewhat beyond the western city limits of Huntsville, and even where the population density increases, the speed limit drops just to 65 mph (100 km/h). Part of this highway is an elevated highway, and that cuts down on the amount of road noise that it projects into its nearby, residences, businesses, and schools.
On November 20, 2006, a school bus carrying high school students collided with another vehicle or swerved to avoid a collision and drove off an elevated on-ramp to the roadway, falling nose-first approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) to the ground.[2] [3] [4] Four teenage girls were killed in the accident. See 2006 Huntsville bus accident.
Future
Plans are currently in place to extend I-565 east several miles past the junction of U.S. Highway 72 along a newly upgraded freeway section of US-72 east of Huntsville. Construction could start on two new exits at Moores Mill Road and Shields Road in 2009. Just south of Madison, plans are to provide an interchange between the highway and County Line Road to put less stress on the Wall-Triana interchange and allow quicker access to the western suburbs. Plans are also in place to extend I-565 west from the junction of I-65 along the route of SR-20 and Alternate US-72 to the junction with US-31 in the northern city limits of Decatur with eventual plans on building a new bridge over the Tennessee River connecting on the west side of Decatur. In January 2007, leaders in Northwest Alabama announced that they are launching a campaign to extend the planned I-565 spur west to Florence. [5] I-565 is part of the route that would connect Memphis, Tennessee with Atlanta, Georgia via Rome, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee as part of ISTEA High Priority Corridor 7[6].
Exit list
| County | Location | Mile[1] | # | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limestone | Decatur | 0.000 |  SR 20 west (US-72 Alt. west) – Decatur
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 0.000 | 1 | I-65 – Birmingham, Nashville
|
Signed as exits 1A (south) and 1B (north) eastbound | ||
| Huntsville | |||||
| 2 | Mooresville Road | ||||
| 3.477 | 3 | Greenbrier Road | |||
| 5 | Madison Boulevard, County Line Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former SR-20 east | |||
| Madison | 7 | Huntsville International Airport | |||
| Madison | 8 | Wall-Triana Highway, Madison Boulevard (SR-20) | |||
| Huntsville | 13.059 | 13 | Madison Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; former SR-20 west | |
| 14.365 | 14 |   SR 255 north (Research Park Boulevard) – Redstone Arsenal Gate 9
|
Signed as exits 14A (Gate 9) and 14B (SR-255) westbound | ||
| 15 | Madison Pike, Sparkman Drive, Bob Wallace Avenue | Entrance to U.S. Space and Rocket Center | |||
| 17.015 | 17A |   SR 53 north (Jordan Lane) to US 72
|
Signed as exit 17 westbound | ||
| 17.381 | 17B |  SR 53 south (Governors Drive)
|
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| 19.057 | 19 |   US 231 / US 431 (Memorial Parkway, SR-1)
|
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exits 19A (south) and 19B (north) | ||
| 19.057 | 19B | US 231 / US 431 (Memorial Parkway, SR-1)
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 19C | Washington Street, Jefferson Street - Downtown | Signed as exit 19A westbound | |||
| 20 | Oakwood Avenue, Andrew Jackson Way | ||||
| 21.688 | 21 | US 72 west (SR-2 west)
|
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| 21.688 |  US 72 east (SR-2 east)
|
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
References
- ^ a b Alabama Department of Transportation, County Milepost Maps, accessed September 2007
- ^ Faulk, Ken. "Bus crash kills 3 students." The Birmingham News November 21, 2006. [1]
- ^ McCarter, Patricia C. "15 still hospitalized after horrific crash; parents beg for info." The Huntsville Times November 21, 2006. [2]
- ^ " Fourth teen dies in Alabama school bus crash." CNN.com. [3] November 21, 2006. Accessed November 21, 2006.
- ^ Officials discussing I-565 spur to Shoals | TimesDaily.com | Times Daily | Florence, AL
- ^ "U.S. 72 (Corridor 7)". AARoads. 2003-01-31. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
