Interstate 22

Byhalia, MS ↔ Birmingham, AL•202.22 miles•0 Branch Routes

Overview

I-22 and I-65 come together at a multi level interchange at Lewisburg in Birmingham. 10/08/16

Interstate 22 is the designation for the freeway along U.S. 78 / Corridor X (High Priority Corridor 10) between Memphis, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama. I-22 begins where Interstate 269 converges with U.S. 78 at Byhalia, Mississippi. Taking a mostly rural route, I-22 runs east southeasterly to Holly Springs and through Holly Springs National Forest before reaching the south side of New Albany. Beyond an older stretch at New Albany that was upgraded, Corridor X continues to the Tupelo area, where it meets the freeway along U.S. 45 leading south to Shannon and north to Saltillo.

The remainder of Interstate 22 in Mississippi traverses hilly terrain east to Fulton and the Alabama state line beyond Tremont. Once in Alabama, I-22 passes by Hamilton, Guin and Winfield to Walker County. The freeway doubles as Alabama State Route 4 throughout the Heart of Dixie.

Advancing eastward, I-22 travels north of Eldridge and Carbon Hill through areas of the Appalachian Piedmont. The freeway passes between Horseshoe Mountain and Mc Clesky Hill before shifting southeast by Jasper and Cordova. Once near Graysville, U.S. 78 separates from Interstate 22 for an arterial route south to Adamsville, Forestdale and Birmingham while I-22 parallels Fivemile Creek east to Coalburg and Interstate 65 near Lewisburg. A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on June 20, 2016 for the final segment of I-22, between Coalburg Road and I-65. Although unfunded, future work will connect the east end with U.S. 31.

Four decades and a billion-plus bucks later I-22 is completed https://t.co/YdBVwAXFtG pic.twitter.com/vjwtpzZ9hn
— AL.com (@aldotcom) June 20, 2016

The first official Interstate 22 signs were installed in Marion and Walker Counties, Alabama by April 2013. I-22 was formally designated in Mississippi at a signage ceremony held on October 23, 2015 at New Albany.¹⁶

Interstate 22 is part of High Priority Corridor 10: ADHS Corridor X from Memphis to Birmingham. Its designation was written into law. "Corridor X" was a result of its placement within the alphabetical listing of Appalachian Regional Planning Commission highway corridors. Corridor X is the 24th corridor in a listing from A to Z (notwithstanding some derivative routes such as A-1 and O-1).

According to Bill Minor, Mississippi DOT Northern District transportation commissioner, signs would go up as soon as possible labeling U.S. 78 as future Interstate 22 ... and to that end, Future Interstate 22 markers were placed along U.S. 78 in November 2004. On April 18, 2005, signs marking the new route were erected in Jasper, Alabama. Completion of the route was initially expected in 2012, with the major section from Graysville to the Mississippi State Line open by December 2006.⁵

Looking east from the Highway 309 overpass at Interstate 22/U.S. 78 in Byhalia, Mississippi. 01/13/19

Mileage by State

Mississippi	106.00 mi
Alabama	96.22 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Parallel U.S. Routes

Interstate 22 parallels or overlays U.S. 78 for its entire duration. It was previously thought that U.S. 78 would return to its original alignment in Alabama upon completion of I-22. Mississippi may do the same, decommission the US route or retain it as a concurrency with I-22.¹⁶ The Alabama Official Highway Map also showed parts of the pre-freeway alignment as U.S. 78 Alternate, though that designation has not been posted.

Future Interstate 22 signs such as this one were placed in Mississippi along the U.S. 78 route in 2004. Photo by Jeremy Hamm (01/01/05).

Interstate 22 east ahead of Hurricane Creek and Exit 3 near Bexar. 06/02/11

Including c/d roadways, Interstate 65 travels with 12 overall lanes through the exchange with Interstate 22. The freeway spans the future travel lanes that will eventually connect the east end of I-22 with U.S. 31 (Decatur Highway) as well. 10/08/16

History

Interstate 22 was officially written into law by H.R. 2673, Section 111(2)(B) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004. On 1/23/2004, it became Public Law No: 108-199. Interstate 22, along with I-66, I-69, I-73, I-74, and I-99, is part of a collection of Interstate routes whose designation was written into law.

In the article, "Wicker: Interstate status for 78 near: Congressman hopes U.S. 78 will become I-22 soon" (03/04/02) from the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal of Tupelo, Interstate 22 became publicized as a potential number for the first time by a politician.

The Interstate 22 designation was to have been written into law as part of the federal Fiscal Year 2003 Transportation Appropriations Bill, but the Senate did not ratify a measure included in the bill to do this in February 2003. According to the Birmingham News article, "Corridor X transition to Interstate 22 stalled" by Ryan Mahoney (03/07/03), the goal was to install "Future Interstate 22" signs along U.S. 78/Corridor X prior to the completion of the route to attract businesses to locate along the route. This process only delayed the inevitable.

Proposed federal legislation designating Corridor X as Interstate 22 followed. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville stated that a U.S. House committee approved language in a bill that designated the corridor as I-22. The designation encourages the prospects for industrial recruiting along the freeway and opens the door to potential new highway funds as well. On July 24, 2003, Aderholt inserted language in the House Transportation and Treasury Appropriation bill for fiscal 2004 that applied the Interstate 22 designation.

The interstate occurs when the road is connected on either end to an existing interstate.

Additionally it was stated that this bill language allowed for portions that were already completed to Interstate standards to receive official signs marking them as a part of Future Interstate 22.¹ The I-22 designation was also included in the Senate version of the appropriation bill.²

On September 9, 2003, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Transportation-Treasury Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2004, paving the way for the Interstate 22 designation along U.S. 78. Congressman Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo stated, "We actually already have gotten beyond the bigger hurdle, the committee vote," with regards to getting Interstate 22 official. The vote continued to the Senate, where Mississippi Republican senators Thad Cochran and Trent Lott had already supported the measure.³ In November 2003, a House-Senate conference committee approved the I-22 designation for U.S. 78. The 2004 appropriations bill for transportation contained language indicating that once the Corridor X freeway extends to I-65, U.S. 78 can be designated Interstate 22. This ruling cleared the way for the installation of "Future Interstate 22" signs along the corridor.⁴

Construction Progress - Alabama

Alabama began work on Corridor X / Interstate 22 with initial construction appropriations in 1983; under this schedule, completion of the route would occur nearly 30 years later. Since 2001 eventual I-22 traveled from the Mississippi/Tennessee state line near Memphis east southeastward to State Route 129 near Winfield (Exit 30). Additionally the Jasper bypass, I-22 between Exit 52 and Exit 65, was also in use. Construction on the 6.5-mile segment between Carbon Hill and Eldridge began in 2001. On November 22, 2005, the Carbon Hill segment opened between Exit 34 (SR 233) and Exit 52.

13 more miles of freeway opened between Walker County Road 81 (Exit 78) and Cherry Avenue (Exit 91), from near Dora to Forestdale, by June 9, 2007. This section of highway was opened to local traffic only with a truck restriction to prevent commercial vehicles from using neighborhood streets to connect with the freeway.⁸ An additional 13 miles of new freeway were slated to open on November 14, 2007 (a ribbon cutting ceremony eventually took place on November 22, 2007) between Jasper (Industrial Parkway [Exit 65]) and Exit 91, bringing future Interstate 22 to within five miles of completion.⁹

The majority of the base pavement for the final 2.5 miles of Interstate 22 between Coalburg Road and I-65 was in place. This view looked from an adjacent subdivision at the interchange with Interstate 65. 10/20/12

Midway through construction, the travel lanes and ramp approaches from Interstate 22 ended abruptly on a bluff overlooking I-65. 10/20/12

Northbound Interstate 65 at the future westbound flyover for I-22. The nearby Daniel Payne Drive on-ramp passes below this flyover onto I-65 north. 10/20/12

Construction of the flyovers that eventually linked I-65 and Daniel Payne Drive north with the westbound flyover for Interstate 22. 10/20/12

Pier supports and some girders were in place for the eventual flyover ramps connecting I-22 and I-65. The $168.6-million project interchange included an 85 foot tall flyover from I-65 north to I-22 west.¹⁴ 10/20/12

Construction eventually added overpasses along Interstate 65 for a planned extension of I-22 east to U.S. 31. A separate contract was to focus on construction the 3,000 feet long roadway linking I-22 and U.S. 31.¹⁴ 10/20/12

The ultimate plans, funding and construction of the I-22 western extent was thought to take seven to eight years, with connections to the existing Memphis Interstate network via U.S. 78, U.S. 72, Tennessee Route 385, or Mississippi Route 304.² The end point was eventually narrowed down to I-269, the Memphis outer beltway. This was confirmed with the June 28, 2016 sign plans showing end and begin shield assemblies planned for the interchange with I-269 (page 50 of the MDOT document "Section 905 - Proposal").

Construction for Interstate 269 in Mississippi was completed on October 26, 2018, completing the link between I-22 and I-55/69 at Hernando, Mississippi.

East End ‐ Birmingham, AL

East at

The partially built four level interchange joining I-22/65 at Birmingham, AL

Traffic departs for the ramps to I-65 north and south while base-grade pavement continues a short distance ahead to a stub end atop a bluff. A short extension of I-22 is proposed east from the multilevel interchange to U.S. 31. 01/01/24

Coalburd Rd spans I-22 two miles from Interstate 65 at Coalburg, AL

I-22 east one mile ahead of I-65 at Birmingham, Alabama

Traffic separates at the east end of I-22 for Interstate 65 at Birmingham, AL

North at

Traffic departs for I-22 west to Memphis, Tennessee at a multi level interchange built between 2010 and 2016. Forming a c/d roadway north from I-22 to U.S. 31 (Decatur Highway) at Fultondale, Exit 265B follows in a quarter mile. 06/26/22

South at

Two miles ahead of the c/d roadway to the directional T interchange with Interstate 22 on I-65 south at the Ridge Brook Road overpass. 10/08/16

West

The first confirming assembly for Interstate 22 west precedes Exit 93 with Coalburg Road (CR 77) by one mile. 06/16/22

West End ‐ Byhalia, MS

West at

I-22/U.S. 78 turn northwest across Stonewall Road, one mile ahead of the collector/distributor roadway (Exit 12) for I-269/MS 304. 05/06/22

East at

U.S. 78 extends 11.4 miles southeast from the Tennessee state line as a freeway to Interstate 22 and the c/d roadway (Exit 12) for Interstate 269/MS 304. 01/13/19