U.S. Route 231 (US 231) in Alabama runs north–south up through the eastern half of Alabama for . US 231 enters the state from Florida south of Madrid and exits into Tennessee, running councurrently with US 431 north of Hazel Green. US 231 passes through the major cities of Dothan, Troy, Montgomery, and Huntsville.
From the Florida state line to Wetumpka, US 231 is a major four-lane divided thoroughfare that connects Central Alabama to the Florida Gulf Coast and Panama City. Between Wetumpka and Arab, excluding its overlap with US 280 between Sylacauga and Harpersville as well as portions through major towns, the road is largely rural and two lanes. Between Arab and the Tennessee state line, the route returns to a four-lane divided highway; the route is upgraded to a limited-access freeway and adjoining frontage roads named Memorial Parkway within the city of Huntsville.
During its route through the state, US 231 runs concurrently with three state highways. Between the Florida state line and southern Dothan as well as between Huntsville and the Alabama state line, US 231 runs concurrent with unsigned State Route 1 (SR 1). Between northern Dothan and Huntsville, the route is overlaid with SR 53, which is unsigned along its portion with US 231 but does have a signed segment north of Huntsville. Finally, while bypassing Dothan, US 231 is overlaid with the signed SR 210.
Route description In Alabama, US 231 is paired with unsigned State Route 53 (SR 53) from downtown Huntsville to Dothan.
US 231 enters Alabama concurrent with US Route 431. They descend into Huntsville along Memorial Parkway, where the route crosses Interstate 565. US 431 leaves the right-of-way at Governors Drive. US 231 continues south, crossing the Tennessee River on the Clement C. Clay Bridge before climbing Brindley Mountain.
It crosses the southernmost extent of the Cumberland Mountains, crossing Sand Mountain outside Oneonta. It climbs to its highest point at the top of Blount Mountain, descending down a 7% grade to its junction with Interstate 59 outside Ashville. It traverses the Valley and Ridge before reaching Interstate 20 in Pell City. From there, it parallels the Coosa River until it reaches US 280 in Harpersville. Concurrent with US 280, it crosses the Coosa River, serving Childersburg. It follows a bypass of Sylacauga, turning off of the US 280 right-of-way just south of the city.
It immediately climbs into the Upper Piedmont, following a relatively isolated routing. The only city of note along this stretch is Rockford, which has a population of just under 350. It drops down to Wetumpka, where it enters the Gulf Coastal Plain. A few miles later, it crosses the Tallapoosa River into Montgomery.
It turns onto a bypass of Montgomery, where it intersects Interstate 85. After a brief concurrency with US 80, it turns onto another major right-of-way. It leaves the city in concurrency with US 82, which leaves the concurrency a few miles later in unincorporated Montgomery County. US 231 is entirely four-laned south of Montgomery.
On its way to Dothan, the route serves as an important regional connector, serving the college town of Troy, a Walmart Distribution Center in Brundidge, and Ozark, which is a gateway to Fort Rucker.
In Dothan, the route follows the western portion of the Ross Clark Circle. It engages in a brief concurrency with US 84 after leaving a nearly 300-mile concurrency with SR 53. It turns south at a junction with US 431, approximately 333 miles south of its first junction in Huntsville.
The route takes an almost straight routing to the Florida State line, where it continues south towards Panama City.
History When US 231 was first assigned along with the rest of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926, the route ran only as far north as Montgomery. In 1952, the route was extended through the rest of the state and on to Indiana.
The section of US 231 in Huntsville was built as a bypass around the downtown area. The original route ran up what is now Whitesburg Drive on the south side of the city, and Meridian Street in the north.
A portion on the north side of Brindlee Mountain, south of Huntsville, was damaged by a landslide in 2020. It was replaced by an elevated section.
Major intersections
See also
List of U.S. Highways in Alabama
References
External links