State Route 51 (SR 51) is a
state highway in the southeastern and east-central parts of the U.S. state of
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
. The southern terminus of the highway is at an
intersection with
U.S. Route 84 (US 84) near
New Brockton. The northern terminus of the highway is at an
interchange with
I-85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...
/
US 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
/
US 280 at
Opelika
Opelika (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of Opelika is ...
.
Route description
While it is signed as a north–south route, the orientation of SR 51 is rather irregular. From its southern terminus near
New Brockton, the highway heads in a northeasterly direction, traveling through rural areas and small towns in the southeastern part of the state.
SR 51 travels through
Clio
In Greek mythology, Clio ( , ; el, Κλειώ), also spelled Kleio, is the muse of history, or in a few mythological accounts, the muse of lyre playing.
Etymology
Clio's name is etymologically derived from the Greek root κλέω/κλεί ...
, the birthplace of former
Alabama governor George C. Wallace
George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist and ...
and
Baseball Hall of Fame member
Don Sutton
Donald Howard Sutton (April 2, 1945 – January 19, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 23 seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakla ...
. At Clio, the highway turns briefly turns northward, then resumes its northward trajectory as it heads towards
Clayton. At Clayton, the highway then turns northwestward then northward as it heads towards
Midway.
At Midway, SR 51 joins
US 82 and turns westward. The
concurrency of the two highways ends east of
Union Springs. SR 51 then resumes a northeastward trajectory until it approaches
Hurtsboro. The highway then turns northward, continuing this orientation until it reaches its northern terminus at
Opelika
Opelika (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of Opelika is ...
.
History
When SR 51 was formed in 1940, it covered only the route between
Clayton and
Midway. The highway was extended to its current southern terminus in 1957, and was extended to its current northern terminus in 1986.
Major intersections
See also
*
*
References
External links
{{Attached KML, display=title,inline
051
Transportation in Coffee County, Alabama
Transportation in Dale County, Alabama
Transportation in Barbour County, Alabama
Transportation in Bullock County, Alabama
Transportation in Macon County, Alabama
Transportation in Russell County, Alabama
Transportation in Lee County, Alabama