Alabama Roads - US 78/11

US 78 and 11/78



3rd Ave. N and turning onto 13th St. N in Birmingham. Pretty sure that's US 11's milemarker, just so you know who wears the pants in this multiplex. 1st St. N, which is US 11 in both directions, remains a 2-way street to the right even though US 11/78 only follows it in one direction. Ponder that one.


Now the opposite direction, from 16th St. N to the multiplex breakup.


While all that's going on down in the city, Jefferson CR 77 NB (Coalburg Rd.) quietly goes and finds US 78 several miles to the north. The "Corridor X" part of this unfortunate (but Alabama standard) Appalachian Development sign is true, but US 78 isn't going onto this last piece until it extends all the way to I-65. Which is stupid, because at that point, the entire thing will become I-22, and then US 78 will be uselessly stuck to the entire length of an Interstate. It would have been far better to designate the new route as Alt US 78 so that when it becomes an Interstate, the real US 78 can remain where it's always been.


Starting at the EB onramp from CR 77 and continuing eastward as far as the highway currently goes, just a couple of miles shy of its final interchange. For now, this piece of Corridor X is unnumbered.


Doing the same trick from the top of the WB offramp and ending with a look south across the highway.


Now looking west as the highway begins. Striping conveniently pretends it's been there all along so that entering traffic has to merge left. I bet most people use their blinkers and check over their shoulders as a force of habit. Nope, no one's coming.


Just to the east of the CR 77 overpass is the end of old 77. For whatever reason, it was impossible to keep the old alignment intact when building the overpass. I really don't see why, but here it is anyway. If you're one for climbing on unbuilt highways, I'd suggest parking at the end of the old road so that your car is not blatantly visible by interested parties. (In other words, be smart.)


Older and off-vertical-center US 78 shield, at the breakup of this other multiplex, courtesy John Krakoff and submitted by Adam Prince.

14th St. Birmingham, US 11/78 Truck
Onto US 11 alone


Into Georgia on US 78
Back to Alabama Roads
Back to Roads