 State Route 160 | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byALDOT | ||||
| Length | 18.415 mi[1] (29.636 km) | |||
| Existed | 1971–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  US 31 inSmoke Rise | |||
| Major intersections |  SR 79 atCleveland | |||
| East end |  US 231 atCleveland | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Alabama | |||
| Counties | Blount | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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State Route 160 (SR 160) is an 18.415-mile-long (29.636 km)state highway inBlount County, in the north-central part of the U.S. state ofAlabama. The western terminus of the highway is at an intersection withU.S. Route 31 (US 31) on the southern edge ofSmoke Rise. This intersection is just east of US 31's interchange withInterstate 65 (I-65 exit 284). The eastern terminus of the highway is at an intersection withUS 231 andBlount County Route 1 (CR 1) inCleveland. SR 160 is the only state highway that is exclusively located in Blount County.
SR 160 begins at anintersection withUS 31 (internally designated asSR 3) on the southern edge ofSmoke Rise. This intersection is just to the east of US 31'sinterchange withI-65. It travels to the east-northeast, along the southern edge of Smoke Rise. Almost immediately, it crosses overSibleyville Creek. At an intersection with Thomas Road, the highway enters Smoke Rise proper. Between Pine View Drive and Tumblin Road, it leaves Smoke Rise proper and again travels along the southern edge of it. Just after crossing overDouble Branch, the highway leaves Smoke Rise and travels throughrural areas of the county. It curves to the northeast and crosses overCoaldale Creek. The highway curves to a nearly due east direction and crosses overHogeland Creek. It curves back to the northeast and passesHayden Primary andHayden Elementary schools. Just after crossing overMerrill Branch, it entersHayden. It travels under arailroad bridge that carriesrailroad tracks ofCSX. It then passes the Blount County Courthouse Annex just before an intersection with the southern terminus ofBlount County Route 7 (CR 7; 3rd Street). SR 160 then passes thetown hall of Hayden. It then crosses overNeeley Creek. A short distance later, it leaves thecity limits of Hayden. The highway curves to a nearly due east direction and travels throughMount Olive. Upon crossingPannel Creek, it curves to the northeast and intersects the southern terminus ofBlount CR 9. It then crosses overSugar Creek before enteringSugar Creek. There, it intersects the western terminus ofBlount CR 45 and the northern terminus of Brand Road. After intersecting the northern terminus ofBlount CR 13, the highway curves to the east-northeast and entersNectar. It intersects the eastern terminus of Blount CR 45, which forms a loop off of SR 160. The highway crosses overTucker Creek and curves to the southeast. In the main part of town, it curves to the east and has an intersection with the eastern terminus ofBlount CR 11, the southern terminus ofBlount CR 37 (Joy Road), and the northern terminus of River Bend Road. It curves back to the northeast and passes Nectar Cemetery. It crosses overHenderson Creek just before passing the Nectar Town Hall. Right after leaving the city limits of Nectar, SR 160 crosses over theLocust Fork of the Black Warrior River. It then curves to the east and entersCleveland. At an intersection withSR 79, SR 160 curves to the northeast. In the main part of town, it reaches its eastern terminus, an intersection withUS 231 (internally designated asSR 53) and the northern terminus ofBlount CR 1.
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Before 1971, this highway was designated asBlount CR 8. The western terminus of SR 160 is currently approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of downtownBirmingham. Until the late 1990s, the path of SR 160 between Hayden and Cleveland traveled through a largely rural area of the county. As urban sprawl from Birmingham has begun to spread into Blount County, numerous new subdivisions have begun to develop along the highway. Much of the growth in northernJefferson County and Blount County is in expectation of the long-anticipated construction of the Northern Beltline which has been given the designationI-422. The expected date for the completion of this route is 2020.
As a result of the residential and commercial development along this highway, there are plans to widen it to four lanes. However, such plans are still under development. As of June 2009, they are still several years away from becoming reality. Due to increased traffic, and the fact that the highway is still a narrow two-lane through winding, hilly country, there has been an increase in deadly auto accidents along this roadway including an accident on November 29, 2007, which took the lives of three Hayden High School cheerleaders – senior, Courtney Nicely, and sophomores, Whitney Bradford and Sarah Casey. Two years later, on September 19, 2009, Kimberly "Kimmi" Jones Colley was hit head-on, and died two weeks later. That death spurred the formation of an organization for the purpose of holding GovernorBob Riley and the state accountable for a campaign promise made by Riley in April 2006 to fast-track construction work to make SR 160 safe.
The entire route is inBlount County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke Rise | 0.000 | 0.000 |  US 31 south (SR 3) –Warrior,Birmingham | Western terminus; intersection is adjacent toI-65 interchange; access to US 31/SR 3 north is via I-65 north. | |
| Cleveland | 17.638 | 28.386 | SR 79 –Locust Fork,Blountsville | ||
| 18.415 | 29.636 |   US 231 (SR 53) / CR 1 south –Oneonta,Blountsville | |||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
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