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Alabama's strategic location in the Deep South, and along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, provides
the state with numerous transportation options for commuters and travelers. Over 74,000 miles (119,091
kilometers) of paved roads innervate Alabama.
The Yellowhammer State is crossed by five Interstate highways, which include the east-west
Interstates 10 and 20, as well as the north-south Interstates 59, 65, and 85; an additional Interstate,
22, is under construction. Major U.S. highways include U.S. 45, U.S. 82, U.S. 84, U.S. 231, U.S. 280,
and U.S. 431. Additionally, many state highways crisscross Alabama.
Alabama offer seven commercial airports for travelers, and a total of 91 general aviation facilities.
Major airports include Birmingham
International Airport (BHM), Alabama's largest, and serving over 3 million passengers annually;
Huntsville International Airport
(HSV); Dothan Regional Airport (DHN);
Mobile Regional Airport (MOB); Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM); Tuscaloosa Regional Airport (TCL); Pryor
Field Regional Airport (DCU); and Muscle
Shoals-Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL).
Alabama is well served by its over 3,300 miles (5,311 kilometers) of rail, with 25 freight railroad
companies carrying over 170 million tons (154,221,406 metric tons) of cargo annually. The five Class I
railroad operators in the state are Burlington Northern
Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company, Canadian National Railway Company, CSX
Transportation, Inc., Kansas City
Southern Railway Company, and Norfolk
Southern Corporation. Amtrak passenger trains
passing through Alabama include the Crescent, with stops in Anniston, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa; and the Sunset Limited, with stops in Mobile and Atmore.
The Yellowhammer State boasts impressive water transportation options, both inland and along the
sea. Alabama is home to one of the largest inland waterway systems in the U.S., offering approximately
1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) of navigable inland waterways via six corridors. The Tennessee-Tombigbee (Tenn-Tom) Waterway connects the Gulf of Mexico to the
Tennessee and Ohio rivers, and is a 232 mile (373.4 kilometer) long waterway, connecting the Tombigbee
River, the Mobile River, the Port of Mobile, and Mobile Bay. The Alabama-Coosa Waterway connects Montgomery to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway via
the Alabama River. The Chattahoochee-Apalachicola Waterway links the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway to Phenix City via the Chattahoochee River. The Tennessee Waterway connects
Knoxville, Tennessee and the Ohio River, as well as the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico, via the
Tennessee River. The Black
Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway connects Port Birmingham and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway at
Demopolis, and including the Port of Mobile, Mobile Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico, via the Black Warrior
River. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway connects with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and serves the Alabama coast by extending from Texas
to Florida. In addition to these valuable waterway systems, Alabama offers its major Port of Mobile,
operated by the Alabama State Port Authority. It is
the state's only deep water port and the 12th largest port in the U.S., and hosts commercial traffic as
well as cruise ships. Additional water transportation is provided by the Mobile Bay Ferry, with daily service from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island.
Alabama offers a number of public transit options in some of its metropolitan areas. Birmingham
offers the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit
Authority, with the Metro Area
Express (MAX) providing 40 regular bus routes in Jefferson County, in addition to 24 paratransit
buses and downtown trolley service for Birmingham. The City of Huntsville Public Transit Division provides the Shuttle Bus System of 13
fixed routes, including a Tourist Trolley Loop; paratransit options are also available. In Mobile,
the Wave Transit System is comprised of a
fleet of public transit buses with several fixed routes; additionally, moda! offers its electric trolley service to downtown business and communities.
The Montgomery Area Transit System (MATS)
provides shared public transportation options in Montgomery, including 16 fixed routes throughout
greater Montgomery, in addition to paratransit services.
Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound,
which offers many stops in the Yellowhammer State.
Related Resources
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