Interstate 165

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Interstate 165
Auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System
Length: 4.9 mi[1] (7.9 km)
Formed: 1994[2][3]
South end:
US 90/Truck US 98/SR 16 at Beauregard & North Water Streets in Mobile
North end: I-65 in Prichard
Alabama State Routes

Interstate 165 (abbreviated I-165) is a spur from Interstate 65 that provides access to Mobile, Alabama. It runs for 4.9 miles (7.9 km) from Beauregard Street in downtown Mobile north to Interstate 65 in Prichard. As it is, I-165 terminates into Water Street which itself terminates into an I-10 on-ramp less than two miles further. The route is elevated for its entire length.

Contents

[edit] History

Interstate 165 began life as a planned Interstate 210. Many problems, including community opposition and access to the Mobile waterfront, prevented the freeway from reaching its intended southern terminus at Interstate 10; I-165 ends about 500 yards (meters) short of I-10. Since the road had no connection to Interstate 10, the number 210 was no longer applicable to the freeway, so 165 was chosen instead.[4]

Construction of the freeway would commence in early 1991[5] and was originally slated for opening in April 1995.[6] Costing $240 million to complete, the route was officially opened to the public at 5:00 in the evening on October 28, 1994.[4] In attendance at the ceremony were former governor Jim Folsom U.S. Representative Sonny Callahan and Federal Highway Administration head Rodney Slate.[4] Upon its completion, it saved commuters traveling between downtown Mobile and the northern suburbs along Interstate 65 an average of nine minutes.[7]

Its construction resulted in the demolition of many structures within downtown Prichard, including such landmarks as the main public library and fire station.[8]

[edit] Exit list

The entire route is in Mobile County.

Location Mile # Destinations Notes
Prichard 1A I-65 south – Mobile Northbound exit and southbound entrance
1B I-65 north – Montgomery Northbound exit and southbound entrance
1A Whistler Street Southbound exit and northbound entrance
1B Price Avenue, Wilson Avenue, Dr. M.L. King Jr. Drive Southbound exit and northbound entrance
1C Wilson Avenue, Price Avenue, Whistler Street Northbound exit and southbound entrance
2 US-90 east (Bay Bridge Road, US-98 Truck east/SR-16 east) to I-10 east / Dr. M.L. King Drive North end of US-90/US-98 Truck/SR-16 overlap
Mobile To Conception Street Road Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former US-43 north/SR-13 north
US-90 west (US-98 Truck west/SR-16 west) to US-98 (SR-42)
To State Docks
To I-10 / Water Street		 I-165 ends at an at-grade intersection

[edit] Miscellanea

  • While still under construction in 1993, efforts to name the freeway in honor of Mobile baseball great Satchel Paige never materialized. [6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ FHWA Route Log and Finder List -- Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002. Federal Highway Administration (2007-03-22). Retrieved on 2007-08-29.
  2. ^ Alabama @ SouthEastRoads.com - Interstate 165. AARoads.com (2003-03-29). Retrieved on 2007-08-29.
  3. ^ Interstate 165 Alabama @ Interstate-Guide.com. AARoads.com (2006-12-19). Retrieved on 2007-08-29.
  4. ^ a b c Pickett, Rhoda. "Interstate 165 opens today, completing state's system", Mobile Register, October 28, 1994, pp. 1A. 
  5. ^ Pickett, Rhoda. "Coming soon: I-165", Mobile Register, June 9, 1994, pp. 1A. 
  6. ^ a b Pickett, Rhoda. "Officials: I-165 to be ready by '95", Mobile Register, September 2, 1993, pp. 1A. 
  7. ^ Werenth, George. "I-165 now open Route connecting downtown with I-65 in Prichard saves motorists 9 minutes in travel time", Mobile Register, October 29, 1994, pp. 1B. 
  8. ^ Pickett, Rhoda. "Prichard undergoes a facelift", Mobile Register, June 24, 1993, pp. 1A. 

[edit] External links

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Auxiliary routes of Interstate 65