Old button copy and one vented sign on I-20/59 EB/NB into Birmingham. Jasper replaced no destination at all; it was just an attempt by Alabama to come closer to new FHWA standards.


Now the reverse direction. It looks like "Huntsville" is covering something beginning with an 'M' or 'N' - I'd put money on Nashville, because that's the next city I-65 actually goes through. I-565 is required to take you to Huntsville, well off the main route. You can see a little better how US 78 was moved from the center of the sign to make room for Jasper, and you can see the other signs very poorly, but my apology for not traveling both directions of the freeway.


More vented signs and more button copy, never on the same assembly (and note that the second and fourth photos are composites - all of these are long photos). I don't know whether there's a wind gust issue, or a sun glare issue, or something else at play throughout Alabama, or else someone at the DOT just liked vented signs for no apparent reason. My only gripe is that the sign background doesn't reflect in dimly lit or nighttime conditions. Carraway Blvd. replaced "26th St" (the former name) and/or destinations of US 31 and US 280 (such as, say, Homewood). I'm leaning toward at least the destinations once having been present because US 31/280 used to but no longer follow that surface route. In fact, the sign is newer than the freeway, but I'm guessing the switch was in the name of thoroughness (so that, for example, a driver won't fear getting stuck on a freeway).


I skipped over a couple of photos while narrating for you. Do you like the shields better up, or down?


Continuing northeastbound to the verge of the concurrency ending after so many miles. Note that the I-20 shield in the last photo is previous-generation. I'm going to complain here that the "TO" should never have been removed from the Exit 128 signs because AL 79 technically is north of the exit by a couple of blocks. I don't think it's necessary to have it on the sign, either, but why pull off all that button copy?


A few over-the-shoulder SB photos up to the I-20 merge, and then a duplex photo in the same direction from John Krakoff, submitted by Adam Prince.


If you take Exit 126A, you're greeted by these signs (three vented, two button copy, and two that were replaced when 26th St. became Carraway Blvd.). US 280 begins here and soon leaves US 31 for an adventure all its own.


One more patch of NB button copy.


Following the first shield atop the page, these are on DeKalb CR 140 WB at I-59 Exit 239.

Exit 130 to I-20 alone

Into Georgia on I-59
Exit 123 to US 78
Exit 124 to I-65
Exit 126A to US 31
Exit 132 to US 11
Exit 137 to I-459
Back to Alabama Roads
Back to Roads