I65 thru birmingham

[the_silverback]

Does anyone know how to get thru Birmingham Al. not on I65. I 65 is very, very, very, rough in Birmingham.

[jaycocamprs]

TundraTower wrote:

Now, if anyone can similarly get me around Memphis or Chattanooga, both in the east/west direction and favoring their southern sides, I'll call it even.

MS-302 from/to I-55 is about the best east/west I've found on the southside of Memphis. Going around Chattanooga is just really not worth the effort. But GA-136 across Lookout Mountain from Trenton is about the only choice. Then north on GA-193 to GA-2. I-75 exit 350 at Ringgold, or stay on GA-136 to I-75 exit 320 at Resaca.

[americanrascal]

Ugh!!!

Dread sets in.

[DutchmenSport]

americanrascal wrote:
I have to run from Birmingham north to Cullman on 65 in a few weeks. 31 ft MH towing a toad on a dolly. How is the northbound out of Birmingham?

Haven't been on northbound 65 in 20 years but have done the southbound-- and boy it was not fun.

Is 65 north out of B-ham OK to Cullman?

Christmas week (2014), North bound was just as bad as Southbound.

[americanrascal]

I have to run from Birmingham north to Cullman on 65 in a few weeks. 31 ft MH towing a toad on a dolly. How is the northbound out of Birmingham?

Haven't been on northbound 65 in 20 years but have done the southbound-- and boy it was not fun.

Is 65 north out of B-ham OK to Cullman?

[TundraTower]

CORRECTION TO SENIOR MOMENT:
There are similar versions of this on the east side of Birmingham, but I think generally the EAST side is more congested than the WEST side, certainly for the short version.

[TundraTower]

I've tried to similarly find ways around Memphis and Chattanooga for different reasons, but just like Birmingham when you get within 100 miles of a big town all roads lead into town, not around it.

I live 80 miles north of B'ham and my wife is from Tuscaloosa, so I've been down that road a few times since 1968. Not sure which part of I-65 you want to avoid, but here are two possibilities, both described as Southbound:

SHORT VERSION: Exit I65 on to I-/20-59 west (at the intersection known around the state as Malfunction Junction). Follow I-59 thru Bessemer out to I459 and turn back east. This will dump you back on to I-65 just south of Hoover and avoids the section of I-65 that I consider to be a PITA. This would be about 40 miles around to avoid a 15 mile trip straight thru, but all of this loop is controlled access interstate and fairly decent road.

LOOOONG VERSION: Exit I-65 just south of Cullman at exit 299 on to hiway 69 south. this is 2 lane to Jasper and then a very nice 2-3 lane from jasper to Tuscaloosa. At Tuscaloosa get hiway 82 to Centerville and then 25 east back over to I-65 (or stay on 82 down to 22 east over to I-65 at Clanton. This is all good 2 lane road and smaller towns (except Tuscaloosa), but considerably further out of your way.

There are similar versions of this on the east side of Birmingham, but I think generally the west side is more congested than the south side, certainly for the short version.

Now, if anyone can similarly get me around Memphis or Chattanooga, both in the east/west direction and favoring their southern sides, I'll call it even.

[DutchmenSport]

Dog Folks wrote:
"Montgomery, I-65??? no! Never again! "

Well I am confused, but then again it doesn't take much these days.

I thought we were taking about Birmingham not Montgomery :h.

OK, I'll eat crow when I have too. Sorry, you are correct, it was Birmingham, not Montgomery! I have too much "passion" about that stretch of road and just get all yanked out of joint because of it. I suppose I shouldn't let "emotionalism" drive me that much on this subject!

Still, to avoid I-65 completely in Alabama, we came back to Indiana via Georgia. Probably the best way to skip around I-65 is to go on 31 and 3, but then, according to the maps, looks like you're going right in the thick of town.

[Dog_Folks]

"Montgomery, I-65??? no! Never again! "

Well I am confused, but then again it doesn't take much these days.

I thought we were taking about Birmingham not Montgomery :h.

[BillMFl]

sch911 wrote:
Went through a couple of weeks ago, I agree it's rough, but getting through only took a few minutes. For the ten minutes of bumps I'll gut it out rather than detour.

x2 Fastest most direct route. Just slow thru the rough area not that long.

[rockhillmanor]

....the cabinet doors in my camper did not flip open, the contents did not end up on the floor, the light fixtures did not pop off the ceiling, and I did not have a headache from my head hitting the ceiling of the truck! My wife's back did not get yanked out of joint, and the dog did not throw up!

Montgomery, I-65??? no! Never again!

:B
Too funny yet really not funny in an RV!

Last time I went thru there unknowingly to me, it knocked out my fuel tank vents. And I had just fueled up. By the time I smelled fuel half the tank of gas was somewhere all over i65. 😞

I20 across to Atlanta was just like that a few years back.

I'll drive 6 hours out of my way to go around roads like that in an RV.

[DutchmenSport]

Dog Folks wrote:

sch911 wrote:
Went through a couple of weeks ago, I agree it's rough, but getting through only took a few minutes. For the ten minutes of bumps I'll gut it out rather than detour.

X2

We go through twice per year, once northbound and once southbound.

Last time was northbound a few weeks ago. It is still rough, but the length is decreasing.

2 X minus 4.... not for me.

Went from Indianapolis to Panama City, Florida last Christmas, both ways there and back down I-65. It might have been a 10 minute ride, although it took me a LOT longer because I slowed down to about 35 mph for fear of flipping the trailer, it is the ride from He**.

When we went back to Panama City in March this year, I didn't think about Montgomery until we were there. Never again! On our return home, we came up through Georgia! Up I-75 to Cincinnati then I-74 back toward Indianapolis. Although it was a much longer ride home, the cabinet doors in my camper did not flip open, the contents did not end up on the floor, the light fixtures did not pop off the ceiling, and I did not have a headache from my head hitting the ceiling of the truck! My wife's back did not get yanked out of joint, and the dog did not throw up!

Montgomery, I-65??? no! Never again!

[Dog_Folks]

sch911 wrote:
Went through a couple of weeks ago, I agree it's rough, but getting through only took a few minutes. For the ten minutes of bumps I'll gut it out rather than detour.

X2

We go through twice per year, once northbound and once southbound.

Last time was northbound a few weeks ago. It is still rough, but the length is decreasing.

[sch911]

Went through a couple of weeks ago, I agree it's rough, but getting through only took a few minutes. For the ten minutes of bumps I'll gut it out rather than detour.