Driving directions from Tampa to Birmingham?

[Apis Bull]

When I live in Tampa and my sister-in-law lived in Birmingham, we would take I-75 to I-10 to US-231 to I-65

[T-Man]

When I live in Tampa and my sister-in-law lived in Birmingham, we would take I-75 to I-10 to US-231 to I-65

This is basically the route we are taking but we are going 19 to 10 then onward... 522 miles from my house.

[JoeB]

Yep, I researched it last night.  19 turns into 27 to I-10 to 231 to I -65.  Should be  a little quicker than the 75 to 20 route.  

[T-Man]

When we made trip for bama a few years back we went up the 19-27-231-65 way and came back the other way... The result was a 10 minute difference... Since we are travelling as a family of 4, I think we will go the way through small towns and businesses in case we need to make scheduled potty breaks!

[T-Man]

Anyone know what traffic is like up through the center of Alabama?  Does that US 231 have bad traffic?  Lots of stop lights?  State Troopers?

As long as you make it to destination by 5ish (rush hour) you will be fine... We hope to be there by 2-3pm!

[Guest]

Anyone know what traffic is like up through the center of Alabama?  Does that US 231 have bad traffic?  Lots of stop lights?  State Troopers?

As long as you make it to destination by 5ish (rush hour) you will be fine... We hope to be there by 2-3pm!

Birmingham is also one hour later ... in the Central Time Zone.  So it's basically about 7 hours (plus stopping for food & gas) on the way there and 9 hours (plus stopping) on the way back.

[Matt]

so how long are we talking?  8-9 hours? similar to the drive to charlotte last year?

[Guest]

so how long are we talking?  8-9 hours? similar to the drive to charlotte last year?

Yup. About the same distance.

[RandyGator]

There is a large construction project north of Valdosta (81 miles of Interstate 75) which may make that route just as slow as going through a few small towns in Alabama...

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/fielddistricts/d4/interstatereconstruction/interstatereconstruction2.shtml

According to this PDF document, some of it was completed in Summer 2006 while other sections are slated for completion in 2007.

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/documents/pdf/const-map/const-map.pdf

Just something to consider...

Just drove that route over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Speed does slow to 50mph in some spots, but it was not too bad when I went through on Friday.

I drive this a couple times a month going hunting.  You are correct, it slows a bit, but you generally can still stay above 55MPH and some times maintain 70 MPH.

[Guest]

There is a large construction project north of Valdosta (81 miles of Interstate 75) which may make that route just as slow as going through a few small towns in Alabama...

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/fielddistricts/d4/interstatereconstruction/interstatereconstruction2.shtml

According to this PDF document, some of it was completed in Summer 2006 while other sections are slated for completion in 2007.

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/documents/pdf/const-map/const-map.pdf

Just something to consider...

Just drove that route over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Speed does slow to 50mph in some spots, but it was not too bad when I went through on Friday.

I drive this a couple times a month going hunting.  You are correct, it slows a bit, but you generally can still stay above 55MPH and some times maintain 70 MPH.

Obviously people can go whichever way... and I may do this because it is all highway... but people driving up the Friday before Christmas may face more traffic than usual... plus going through Atlanta (ranked in the top 5 in terms of the worst traffic)... plus I-20 will be the way ECU fans head to B-ham...

Yes, US 231 will hit a lot of small towns where people will be doing some last-minute Christmas shopping, so driving by a lot of Wal Marts will not be fun... and Montgomery might not be the best either.

My point is neither way has the best situations.  It won't be like cruising on an open highway all-the way.  Since the US 19-I 10-US 231-I 65 way is 30 miles shorter, that will probably be the way I head.