Alabama State Route 51

Infobox road
state=AL
type=AL
route=51
length_mi=115
length_ref= [ [http://colepages.com/routes5175.html Highway Route Info Routes 51 - 75 ] ]
length_round=
established=1940
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=
junction=
ending_terminus=
counties=Coffee
Dale
Barbour
Bullock
Russell
Lee
previous_type=AL
previous_route=50
next_type=AL
next_route=52

State Route 51 is a 115-mile long route in the southeastern and east-central part of the state. The southern terminus of the route is at its junction with U.S. Highway 84 near New Brockton. The northern terminus of the route is at an interchange with Interstate 85 and U.S. Highways 29 and 280 at Opelika.

Route description

While it is signed as a north-south route, the orientation of State Route 51 is rather irregular. From its beginning near New Brockton, the route heads in a northeasterly direction, passing through rurals areas and small towns in the southeastern part of the state.

State Route 51 passes through Clio, the birthplace of former Alabama governor George C. Wallace and Baseball Hall of Fame member Don Sutton. At Clio, the route turns briefly turns northward, then resumes its northward trajectory as it leads towards Clayton. At Clayton, the route then turns northwestward then northward as it leads towards Midway.

At Midway, State Route 51 joins U.S. Highway 82 and turns westward. The concurrency of the two routes ends east of Union Springs. State Route 51 then resumes a northeastward trajectory until it approaches Hurtsboro. The route then turns northward, continuing this orientation until it reaches its terminus at Opelika.

When State Route 51 was created in 1940, it covered only the route between Clayton and Midway. The route was extended to its current southern terminus in 1957, and was extended to its current northern terminus in 1986.

Counties traversed

*Coffee
*Dale
*Barbour
*Bullock
*Russell
*Lee

Cities and towns along the route

*New Brockton
*Clio
*Louisville
*Clayton
*Midway
*Hurtsboro
*Marvyn
*Opelika

Major intersections

*State Route 167 at Clintonville
*U.S. Highway 231 at Rocky Head
*State Route 10 at Clio
*State Route 130 near Louisville
*State Route 30 at Clayton
*State Route 239 at Clayton
*U.S. Highway 82 at Midway. Northbound State Route 51 is co-routed with westbound US-82 until they split east of Union Springs.
*State Route 26 at Hurtsboro
*U.S. Highway 80 at Marvyn
*State Route 169 south of Opelika. State Routes 51 and 169 are co-routed until their terminus at the junction with Interstate 85 and U.S. Highways 29 and 280 at Opelika.

References