Interstate 65
Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates ending in 5, it is a major crosscountry, north–south route, connecting between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. Its southern terminus is located at an interchange with I-10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with US 12 (US 12), and US 20 (the Dunes Highway) in Gary, Indiana, just southeast of Chicago. I-65 connects several major metropolitan areas in the Midwest and Southern US. It connects the four largest cities in Alabama: Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Huntsville. It also serves as one of the main north–south routes through Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, Indiana, each a major metropolitan area in its respective state.
"I65" redirects here. For the Canadian destroyer, see HMCS St. Clair (I65).887.30 mi[1] (1,427.97 km)
1958–present
Entire route
I-10 in Mobile, AL
- I-85 in Montgomery, AL
- I-20 / I-59 in Birmingham, AL
- I-22 in Birmingham, AL
- I-40 in Nashville, TN
- I-24 in Nashville, TN
- I-64 / I-71 in Louisville, KY
- I-74 / I-465 in Indianapolis, IN
- I-70 in Indianapolis, IN
- I-80 / I-94 / US 6 in Gary, IN
- I-90 in Gary, IN
History[edit]
The first section of Interstate 65 reused the Kentucky Turnpike, a toll road that opened on August 1, 1956.[5] The first section of Interstate Highway in Tennessee constructed under the authorization of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 was a short section of I-65 which opened on November 15, 1958.[6][7] The first section of Interstate Highway to be completed in Alabama was also a section of I-65, which opened on December 10, 1959.[8] The first section of I-65 in Indiana was opened on September 14, 1960.[9][10] Kentucky was the first state to complete its portion of I-65, with the last stretch opening on June 22, 1970.[11] The final section in Tennessee opened on October 26, 1973.[12][13] The last section in Indiana, part of the concurrent section with I-70 in Indianapolis, opened on October 15, 1976.[14][15] I-65 was not officially completed until December 19, 1985, when a section north of Birmingham opened, replacing a four-lane stretch of US 31 that had been designated as part of I-65 but did not meet Interstate Highway standards.[16]