Existed: 1994 – present Length 8.16 km | North end: I‑65 in Prichard Constructed 1994 | |
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South end: US 90 / US 98 Truck in Mobile | ||
Interstate 165 (I-165) is a spur from I-65 that provides access to Mobile, Alabama. It travels for approximately 4.9 miles (7.9 km) from Beauregard Street in downtown Mobile north to I-65 in Prichard. As it is, I-165 terminates into Water Street which itself terminates into an I-10 on-ramp less than 2 miles (3.2 km) further. The route is elevated for its entire length.
Contents
Map of I-165, Alabama, USA
Route description
I-165 begins at an interchange with US-90/US-98 Truck in Mobile. I-165/US-90/US-98 Truck travel concurrently to the north-northwest. This interchange also includes Water Street, with leads to I-10. Almost immediately is an incomplete interchange that leads to Conception Street Road. It is only accessible from the northbound lanes. The three highways curve to a northwesterly heading, before US-90/US-98 Truck depart the highway at exit 2, on the Mobile–Prichard city line. Shortly afterward, I-165 meets an incomplete interchange (exit 1C) with Wilson Avenue, Price Avenue, and Whistler Street, that is only accessible from the northbound lanes. It then has an incomplete interchange (exit 1B) with Price Avenue, Wilson Avenue, and Dr. M.L. King Jr. Drive, that is only accessible from the southbound lanes. After that, is an incomplete interchange (exit 1A) with Whistler Street, that is only accessible from the southbound lanes. Almost immediately, the highway meets its northern terminus, an interchange with I-65.
History
I-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 I-10; I-165 ends about 1 mile (1.6 km) short of I-10 and becomes Water Street. Since the road had no connection to I-10, the number 210 was no longer applicable to the freeway, so 165 was chosen instead.
Construction of the freeway commenced in early 1991 and was originally slated for opening in April 1995. Costing $240 million to complete (equivalent to $483 million in 2015), the route was officially opened to the public at 5:00 in the evening on October 28, 1994. In attendance at the ceremony were former governor Jim Folsom, U.S. Representative Sonny Callahan, and Federal Highway Administration head Rodney Slate. Upon its completion, it saved commuters traveling between downtown Mobile and the northern suburbs along Interstate 65 an average of nine minutes. While still under construction in 1993, efforts to name the freeway in honor of Mobile baseball great Satchel Paige never materialized.
Its construction resulted in the demolition of many structures within downtown Prichard, including such landmarks as the main public library and fire station.
Exit list
The entire route is in Mobile County.