U.S. Route 280 in Alabama

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U.S. Highway 280
State Route 38
Length:	141.256 mi[1] (227.329 km)
Formed:	1954[citation needed]
West end:	I-20 / I-59 / US-31 in Birmingham
Major junctions:	US-231 in Sylacauga US-29 in Opelika
East end:	US 280 / SR 520 in Columbus, GA
Alabama State Routes < SR-279 SR-281 > < SR-37 SR-39 >

U.S. Highway 280 (US-280), internally designated by the Alabama Department of Transportation as State Route 38 (SR-38), is a major state highway running east from Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. The historical designation of US-280 and SR-38 is the Florida Short Route.

For many years, US-280 and SR-38 was considered one of the more dangerous routes in Alabama, due to the number of large stretches of narrow two lane roadway leading southeastwardly from Birmingham. Work was begun in the 1970’s to replace the old route with a modern four-lane divided highway. As of 2006, all of this work is now complete. As a result, US-280 and SR-38 now bypass several small towns, including Goodwater, Jacksons' Gap, Camp Hill and Waverly.

[edit] Location

In Alabama, US-280 and SR-38 pass through the following cities and towns:

• Birmingham
• Homewood
• Mountain Brook
• Hoover
• Harpersville
• Childersburg
• Sylacauga
• Alexander City
• Dadeville
• Auburn
• Opelika
• Phenix City

[edit] Junctions and shared routes

In addition to the junction with I-20/I-59, US-280 and SR-38 intersect the following Interstate highways, U.S. highways, and major state routes in Alabama:

• U.S. Highway 31 and unsigned State Route 3 at Birmingham. These routes overlap on the Elton B. Stephens (Red Mountain) Expressway until they split at Homewood
• Interstate 459 at Mountain Brook
• U.S. Highway 231 and unsigned State Route 53 at Harpersville. These routes overlap until they split at Sylacauga.
• State Route 14 in Opelika
• Interstate 85, U.S. Highway 29, and unsigned State Route 15 in Opelika. SR-38 and US-280 are routed on I-85 between Exits 58 and 62
• U.S. Highway 431 and unsigned State Route 1 in Opelika. These routes overlap until they split in Phenix City
• U.S. Highway 80 and unsigned State Route 8 at Phenix City. US-80/280/431 and SR-1/8/38 are co-routed briefly.

[edit] References