U.S. Route 45 in Alabama

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 45 in Alabama. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 45.
U.S. Route 45 marker
U.S. Route 45
Map
US 45 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ALDOT
Length59.181 mi[1] (95.243 km)
Major junctions
South end US 98 in Mobile
Major intersections
North end US 45 near State Line, Mississippi
Location
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountiesMobile, Washington
Highway system
  • Alabama State Highway System
← SR 44US 45→ SR 46
← SR 56SR 57→ I-59

In the U.S. state of Alabama, U.S. Route 45 (US 45) is a 60-mile-long (97 km) north–south United States Highway in the east south central state of Alabama. It travels from Mobile to the Mississippi state line, just east of State Line, Mississippi. The highway's southern terminus is in Mobile, at an intersection with US 98. Its northern terminus in the state of Alabama is at the Mississippi state line.

In Alabama, all of the U.S. Highways have one or more unsigned state highways designated along its length. US 45 travels concurrently with State Route 17 (SR 17) from its southern terminus to just north of Deer Park. For the rest of its length in the state, the highway travels concurrently with State Route 57 (SR 57).

Route description

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US 45 begins at the intersection of St. Stephens Road and Spring Hill Avenue west of downtown Mobile. Spring Hill Avenue carries US 98 to the east and west while St. Stephens Road heads to the northwest through the city and into Prichard. There lies an interchange with Interstate 65 (I-65).[2] Further north in the Eight Mile neighborhood, it intersects the southern ends of SR 213 and SR 217 in quick succession. The highway then meets SR 158 at an interchange near the University of Mobile. It curves to the north and northwest as it travels through Mauvilla, Chunchula, and Citronelle.[3] US 45 continues to the northwest, through rural Washington County. Just north of Deer Park, SR 17 splits off to the northeast toward Chatom at a Y intersection. The highway curves back to the northwest and goes through Fruitdale and later Yellow Pine. It continues to the north-northwest and crosses into Mississippi.[4][5]

History

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1910s and 1920s

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The road that would become US 45 in Alabama was designated at least as early as 1914. This road traveled in Mobile and Prichard as an "improved hard surface road" (macadam, gravel, chert) and from Prichard to Citronelle as an "improved soil road". There was also a segment from about Deer Park to Yellow Pine as an "unimproved road".[6] By 1925, the roadway was entirely built in the state. It was designated as SR 28, and it is an "existing road upon which state has done no work".[7][8] That year, US 45 was designated along its entire length in the state. The entire highway was an "existing road upon which the state has done no work" except for a segment from just north of Gulfcrest to Fruitdale, which was indicated to be graded.[8][9] By 1928, the segment from Mobile to just north of Gulfcrest was indicated to be "unimproved", while the segment from Fruitdale to the Mississippi state line was indicated to be graded, in addition to the Gulfcrest-to-Fruitdale segment. Also, SR 57 was designated along the entire length of the highway.[10][11]

1930s

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By 1930, the highway was indicated to have a "hard surface" in Mobile and Citronelle; a gravel/chert or a sand-clay/topsoil surface from Mobile to Citronelle; and "graded" from Citronelle to the Mississippi state line.[12][13] Later that year, the entire Mobile County segment was indicated to have a "hard surface". The entire Washington County segment was indicated to have been graded.[13][14] By the end of 1934, US 43, along with SR 5 were designated in Mobile, but the state maps are unclear as to whether they traveled concurrently with US 45/SR 57.[15][16] By 1935, the entire Mobile County segment was indicated to have a "pavement" surface. The entire Washington County segment was indicated to have a "gravel or chert" surface.[17][18] By 1939, the highway was indicated to be under construction from the Mobile–Washington county line to about Fruitdale.[19][20]

1940s to 1980s

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By 1941, the highway was indicated to be under construction from just southeast of Fruitdale to just northwest of Yellow Pine.[20][21] By 1942, US 45 was indicated to be paved for its entire length in the state.[22][23] By 1952, SR 57 was decommissioned south of the Deer Park area. It was replaced by SR 17, as it exists today.[24][25] By 1957, SR 5, which was concurrent with US 43 in Mobile was truncated farther north. It was replaced by SR 13. However, it was still not clear whether US 43 and SR 13 were concurrent with US 45 in the city.[26][27] By 1983, US 43 and SR 13 were moved off of US 45 and SR 17 in Mobile.[28][29]

Future

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State legislatures in both Mississippi and Alabama have called for US 45 to be expanded to four-lanes along its entire length in Alabama. Although mentioned by ALDOT, this project has been shelved for now.[30]

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
MobileMobile0.0000.000 US 98 (SR 42 / Springhill Avenue) – Semmes, Spanish FortSouthern end of SR 17 overlap
Prichard4.3406.985
 I-65 to I-10 – Montgomery		I-65 exit 8
6.29710.134
 SR 213 north (South Shelton Beach Road) – University of Mobile, Chickasabogue Park
6.47710.424
 SR 217 north (Lott Road)
9.61815.479
 SR 158 (Industrial Parkway) to I-65 – Saraland		Interchange
Washington​43.05469.289
 SR 17 north (Jordan Street) / SR 57 begins – Chatom		Northern end of SR 17 overlap; southern end of SR 57 overlap
​59.18195.243
 US 45 north / SR 57 ends – State Line		Continuation into Mississippi; northern end of SR 57 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Milepost Web". Alabama Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  2. ^ AAA (2008). United States, Canada, Mexico Atlas (Map). Approximately 1:1,280,000. AAA. p. 7. Mobile inset. §§ B14–A12. ISBN 9781595082657.
  3. ^ "Route of US 45 in Mobile County" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  4. ^ "Route of US 45 in Washington County" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  5. ^ AAA (2008), p. 7.
  6. ^ Road Map of Alabama (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1914. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  7. ^ Progress Map Showing Roads Completed and Under Construction (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1924. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Progress Map Showing Roads Completed and Under Construction (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1925. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  9. ^ System of State Roads (Map). State Highway Department of Alabama. 1926. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  10. ^ System of State Roads (Map). State Highway Department of Alabama. 1927. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  11. ^ State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. 1928. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  12. ^ State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. 1929. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  13. ^ a b State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. 1930. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  14. ^ State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. 1931. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  15. ^ State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. 1933. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  16. ^ State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. November 1, 1934. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  17. ^ State Road Map of Alabama (Map). General Drafting Company. September 1, 1935. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  18. ^ Official Highway Map – State of Alabama (Map). State Highway Department of Alabama. 1936. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  19. ^ Official Highway Map – State of Alabama (Map). State Highway Department of Alabama. 1938. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  20. ^ a b Official Highway Map – State of Alabama (Map). Alabama Highway Department. 1939. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  21. ^ Official Highway Map – State of Alabama (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1940. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  22. ^ Alabama Highways (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1941. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  23. ^ Alabama Highways (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1942. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  24. ^ Alabama State Highway System (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1951. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  25. ^ Alabama State Highway System (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1952. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  26. ^ 1955-1956 Official Highway Map – State of Alabama (Map). Alabama State Highway Department. 1955. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  27. ^ Official 1957 Alabama Highway Map (Map). Alabama State Highway Department Division of Highway Planning. 1957. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  28. ^ Official 1981–82 Alabama Highway Map (Map). State of Alabama Highway Department. April 1981. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  29. ^ Official 1983–84 Alabama Highway Map (Map). State of Alabama Highway Department. 1983. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  30. ^ Poor, Jeff (14 January 2021). "Lawmakers urge ALDOT to catch up to Mississippi, four-lane U.S. Highway 45 from state line to Mobile". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
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U.S. Route 45
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