State Route 149 (SR 149) is a
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
that connects the south suburbs of
Mountain Brook and
Homewood with the
Southside of downtown
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
, in the
central part of the U.S. state of
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. It is in the shape of the letter
C. Before the completion of
Interstate 65 (I-65), SR 149 was the
truck route
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructi ...
of
U.S. Route 31 (US 31) and
US 280.
Route description
The southern terminus of SR 149 is at a
folded diamond
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the i ...
-type
interchange with
US 280 (
internally designated as
SR 38) just southwest of
Mountain Brook. Although signed as a north–south highway, it initially travels to the southwest along Shades Creek Parkway. The highway passes
Colonial Brookwood Village
Brookwood Village was a upscale shopping mall located near Birmingham in the cities of Mountain Brook and Homewood, Alabama.
History
Early history
Originally known as Brookwood Mall, it was constructed in 1973 by the Shepherd family. The ...
, one of the larger
shopping malls in the
Birmingham metro area and then enters
Homewood, whereupon Shades Creek Parkway intersects
US 31 (Montgomery Parkway; internally designated as
SR 3) at a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
and the name of the road changes to Lakeshore Drive. Along Lakeshore Drive, SR 149 passes the campus of
Samford University
Samford University is a private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama. In 1841, the university was founded as Howard College by Baptists. Samford University describes itself as the 87th oldest institution of higher learning in the United Sta ...
.
At the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and Green Springs Highway, SR 149 turns to the north-northwest and is routed along Green Springs Highway, continuing in Homewood until the route crosses the crest of
Red Mountain, where the route enters the
city limits
City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...
of Birmingham. SR 149 closely parallels
I-65 for approximately until it approaches the campus of the
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Here the state route has an interchange with I-65, although there are no trailblazers on I-65 indicating that the two routes junction. Near this interchange, the name of Green Springs Highway changes to University Boulevard and northbound SR 149 curves to the northeast.
After the interchange with I-65, SR 149 passes through the heart of the UAB campus.
Bartow Arena, home of the
UAB Blazers basketball teams, is located less than north of SR 149. In addition,
Regions Field, the home of the
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The current ...
minor league baseball team is less than north of the highway.
SR 149 also provides direct access to several Birmingham-area hospitals, including
UAB Hospital
UAB Hospital (also known as University Hospital) is a 1,157 bed tertiary hospital and academic health science center located in Birmingham, Alabama. It serves as the only ACS verified Level I Trauma Center in Alabama, and is the flagship prope ...
and
Children's of Alabama
Children's of Alabama is a pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Birmingham, Alabama. The main hospital has 332 beds and 48 bassinets. The hospital is affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. The ho ...
. East of the UAB campus and the hospitals, SR 149 continues approximately until it reaches its northern terminus at a folded-diamond interchange with US 31/US 280 (
Elton B. Stephens Expressway
The Elton B. Stephens Expressway, more commonly referred to locally as the Red Mountain Expressway, is a limited-access freeway serving as a north–south Connector (road), connection between Homewood, Alabama, Homewood and Mountain Brook, Alaba ...
). There are no signs on US 31 south/US 280 east to alert motorists that they are meeting SR 149; however, recently installed signs on US 31 north/US 280 west inform motorists of the interchange with the highway.
Major intersections
See also
*
*
References
{{Reflist
149
Transportation in Jefferson County, Alabama
149
U.S. Route 31