I 59 between Chattanooga and Birmingham road condition

[bfcantwell]

The last time we drove this stretch was 4 years ago and it was a nightmare! We are planning a trip to Louisiana and the best way is going I 59 for us. However, if the road is the same we will need to go a different way.

Has anyone traveled this stretch of I 59 lately?
Really appreciate any info!
B

[malojeer]

We lived in North Ala. and now we live in our home state of Louisiana. I think you will appreciate Alabama roads once you try our atrocious roads here in La.
I-10 between Atchafalaya basin and Lafayette will leave you hurting and hwy 90 toward Morgan City will make you never want to pull a 5er again.

[padredw]

Well, then, I'm glad I missed that part.

Actually the worst part I remember was soon after the exit from the bypass and I-20 (on the east side of Birmingham).

I told my wife, "I'm getting off at the next exit, I don't care how much further that route may be. I'll find some other way than this freeway!" As I said, we ran into a detour on those county roads that took us back to the freeway, and it wasn't so bad on to Gadsden.

Just part of our memories of RVing! :W

[jaycocamprs]

padredw wrote:
This is good news, indeed.

Some years ago, we had been around Birmingham many times on the bypass on I-20 to Atlanta, one of the easiest cities to get through and excellent wide freeways. On this trip we going to Gadsden, so we transitioned off that bypass onto I-59 North thinking it would be a similar route.

Wow! This was the first, and only, time I ever actually decided to pull off at the first opportunity to find whatever other route possible. We wound around some pretty "local roads" until we came to a detour that forced us back onto I-59. Fortunately the freeway surface was not nearly as bad as that we had abandoned earlier.

I have traveled I-20 more times than I can count from East Texas to Atlanta, and I-10/I-12 across Louisianna almost as many times, but I never found a section on either as bad as that section of I-59 north of the intersection with I-20 East of Birmingham.

Thanks for the good news. Even if we never take that route again it is good to know that we would never have such an experience again as we did that one time.

Since you only went to Gadsden you did not see the bad part. That was the part between Gadsden and Fort Payne

[padredw]

This is good news, indeed.

Some years ago, we had been around Birmingham many times on the bypass on I-20 to Atlanta, one of the easiest cities to get through and excellent wide freeways. On this trip we going to Gadsden, so we transitioned off that bypass onto I-59 North thinking it would be a similar route.

Wow! This was the first, and only, time I ever actually decided to pull off at the first opportunity to find whatever other route possible. We wound around some pretty "local roads" until we came to a detour that forced us back onto I-59. Fortunately the freeway surface was not nearly as bad as that we had abandoned earlier.

I have traveled I-20 more times than I can count from East Texas to Atlanta, and I-10/I-12 across Louisianna almost as many times, but I never found a section on either as bad as that section of I-59 north of the intersection with I-20 East of Birmingham.

Thanks for the good news. Even if we never take that route again it is good to know that we would never have such an experience again as we did that one time.

[magic43]

Yes, it went from very bad to very good.

[2naEagle]

I drove it both ways last week it is very good now.

[thedoghouse]

I traveled this interstate 2 times in past year and its been repaired no isssue

[rv2go]

PLEASE..Give a trip report after you travel it. This is a dreaded route for me.

[RoyB]

MAGIC43 - Did you say the bumpty bumpty between Fort Payne and Gadsden are finally fixed. Its been a couple of years but that was one bumpy road no matter what speed you were going. The concrete was buckled for a good 50 miles there...

All of the truckers drove down the edge of the roadway at high speeds.

The left lane was better but I never did like using that lane...

I had to use that stretch of road for a couple of months running back and forth between Alabama and Wichita falls TEXAS...

It was so bumpy that my Roof Mounted air conditioner almost came loose. I had to do maintenance of the four long bolts on that unit after I got past the rough stuff...

Glad it all got fixed...

Roy Ken

[bfcantwell]

Thank you so much!

[magic43]

Yes it was a nightmare, but all is good now.