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U.S. Route 280
Highway in the United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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U.S. Route 280 (US 280) is a spur of U.S. Highway 80 (US 80). It currently runs for 392 miles (631 km) from Blitchton, Georgia, at US 80 to Birmingham, Alabama at Interstate 20 (I-20)/Interstate 59 (I-59). For much of its route, US 280 travels through rural areas and smaller cities in southern Georgia and east central Alabama. Once the highway approaches Birmingham, it is a major suburban route. Numerous shopping centers are located on US 280 throughout northern Shelby County and southern Jefferson County.
US 280 is the main connector between Birmingham and Auburn, and this stretch is sometimes known as the "War Eagle Highway."[2]
Through Talladega County, Alabama, US 280 is known as the Jim Nabors Highway, in honor of the Sylacauga, Alabama, native known for portraying the television character Gomer Pyle. The historical designation of US 280 and Alabama SR 38 is the Florida Short Route.
For many years, US 280 and SR 38 were considered one of the more dangerous routes in Alabama, due to the number of large stretches of narrow two-lane roadway leading southeast from Birmingham. Work was completed in 2006 making US 280 a four-lane highway throughout the entire state of Alabama. This project began in the 1970s. As a result, US 280 now bypasses numerous small towns in east Alabama, including Goodwater, Jackson's Gap, Camp Hill, and Waverly.
In Georgia, US 280 from Columbus to Interstate 16 (I-16) is also a Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) corridor known as "Power Alley".[3]
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Route description
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Alabama
US 280 terminates concurrently with U.S. Route 31 (US 31) at Interstate 20 (I-20)/Interstate 59 (I-59). US 31 continues onward at this point. The route continues through downtown Birmingham with US 31. They meet with U.S. Route 11 (US 11) and U.S. Route 78 (US 78) and climb over Red Mountain into Mountain Brook as a section of highway called the Red Mountain Expressway. Here, US 280 splits off of US 31 at a highly complex interchange with elements of a directional-T and a parclo.
It continues on somewhat of a freeway through Mountain Brook, eventually reaching The Summit, a large outdoor mall. It also has a junction with Interstate 459 (I-459) at this point, at a parclo-like interchange which has been modified to better suit traffic.[4]
The route continues through one of the more developed areas of east Birmingham and eventually climbs over Double Oak Mountain into Shelby County and Chelsea. It continues east to Harpersville, which is home to its junction with U.S. Route 231 (US 231) north and Alabama State Route 25 (SR 25). US 280 continues with US 231 until it reaches the Coosa River, which it crosses and continues into Talladega County. It eventually reaches Sylacauga, which is home to its junction with US 231 south and Alabama State Route 21 (SR 21). This specific junction is a diamond interchange, commonly used on freeways.
The route continues southeast through northern Coosa County until it has another diamond interchange with Alabama State Route 9 (SR 9). It then passes through Kellyton, which is home to its minor junction with Alabama State Route 115 (SR 115).
It crosses into Tallapoosa County just before entering Alexander City. US 280 junctions with Alabama State Route 22 (SR 22) and Alabama State Route 63 (SR 63) in the city. It then proceeds through slightly hilly terrain to Dadeville. It junctions with Alabama State Route 49 (SR 49), which connects the route to the Talladega National Forest/Cheaha State Park. It leaves Dadeville, promptly enters Camp Hill, junctions with Alabama State Route 50 (SR 50), and enters the southwestern corner of Chambers County, and then crosses into Lee County.
The route then reaches The Bottle, which is named for the bright orange wooden replica of a Nehi soda bottle which stood in the location from 1924 to 1936. It crosses into Auburn, which is barely skimmed by US 280 as it then crosses into nearby Opelika. In Opelika, the US 280 meets U.S. Highway 29 (US 29)/Interstate 85 (I-85). US 280 begins a concurrency with I-85 and continues through the junction with Alabama State Route 51 (SR 51). It then splits off of the freeway at an interchange with U.S. Highway 431 (US 431). It continues on a heavily traveled road into Russell County, and eventually to Phenix City, which voted to be unofficially included in the Eastern Time Zone due to its close proximity with Columbus, Georgia across the Chattahoochee River.[5] In Phenix City US 280 meets its parent route, U.S. Highway 80 (US 80) and shares a brief wrong-way concurrency with the route. After US 80 departs heading west, the US 280 then leaves US 431 behind and crosses the Chattahoochee River, leaving Alabama and entering Georgia in Columbus. US 280 has a length of 141.356 miles (227.490 km) in Alabama.[6]
US 280 has the unsigned designation of Alabama State Route 38 (SR 38) throughout its length in Alabama.
Georgia
US 280 begins in Georgia at the state's border with Alabama in Columbus. There it is paired with Georgia State Route 520 (SR 520) and U.S. Route 27 (US 27). It maintains this designation as it passes through Fort Benning. Upon arriving in Cusseta, US 280/SR 520 diverge from US 27 and continue southeast to Richland, where US 280 splits off from SR 520. US 280 continues east, passing through Plains (the boyhood home of Jimmy Carter) and becomes cosigned with Georgia State Route 30 (SR 30) in Americus. US 280/SR 30 then continue east-southeast, crossing Interstate 75 (I-75) in Cordele, still continuing east through mainly rural areas of the southern portion of the state, passing through smaller towns such as McRae–Helena, Mount Vernon, Vidalia, and Pembroke. The highway then turns to the northeast as it leaves Pembroke, crossing Interstate 16 (I-16) at exit 143. Still continuing northeast, the highway then terminates in Blichton at US 80.
National Highway System
Except for the easternmost portion between I-16 and the eastern terminus, the entire length of US 280 is part of the National Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense.[7][8][9][10][11]
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History
Prior to the completion of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway in Birmingham, US 31, US 78, and US 280 traveled concurrently until they intersected US 11 at the intersection of 1st Avenue North and 24th Street.
Major intersections
 | This section is missing mileposts for junctions. |
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See also
References
External links
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