U.S. Route 31 | |
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Route information | |
Length: | 1,280 mi (2,060 km) |
Existed: | November 11, 1926 | – present
Major junctions | |
South end: | US 90 / US 98 in Spanish Fort, AL |
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North end: | I-75 in Mackinaw City, MI |
Location | |
States: | Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan |
Highway system | |
U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a long north–south highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 75 (I-75) south of Mackinaw City, Michigan.
US 31 once crossed the Straits of Mackinac by car ferry to intersect US 2 north of St. Ignace, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula and then formerly reached Mackinaw City along the southern approaches of the Mackinac Bridge (which has been taken over by I-75). It also formerly entered downtown Mobile, Alabama, via a long bridge over Mobile Bay.
US 31 begins in Spanish Fort, Alabama at a junction with US 90 and 98. Formerly, the route originated in Mobile, co-routed with US 90 and 98. Whereas Interstate 65 leaves the Mobile Metropolitan Area via a route on the west side of the city, US 31 leaves the Mobile area via a route on the eastern side of the metro area, passing through Bay Minette. I-65 has effectively replaced US 31 as the preferred route for through traffic, making US 31 a local connecting route.