Origin
Alabaster, AL
Morning in Alabaster on Wednesday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alabaster, AL to Northport, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
57.4 mi
92 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alabaster, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Northport, AL
Abdulhalim Mudag
Trip Overview
The drive from Alabaster, AL to Northport, AL covers 57.4 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 20, John M. Harbert III Freeway, County Road 52 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.7 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 33.7 mi | 36m |
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| County Road 52 | 4.8 mi | 9m |
| Morgan Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| I 359 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North | 2 mi | 3m |
| County Road 58 | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| 9th Street Northwest | 0.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 33.7 mi, about 36m
Traffic on I-59
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~2,895 veh/hr typical · worst 3,433
Quietest
2 AM
~277 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alabaster, AL and Northport, AL.
1
Start on this road
298 ft
·
24 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 2nd Place Northwest
185 ft
·
13 sec
·
2nd Place Northwest
3
Turn left onto US 31; AL 119
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street North
4
Turn left onto CR 66
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Industrial Road
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 95
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Street Northwest
6
Turn left onto CR 58
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
County Road 58
7
At end of road, turn right onto County Road 17
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road 17
8
Continue on County Road 52
4.8 mi
·
9 min
·
County Road 52
9
Continue on Morgan Road
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Morgan Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 459 South: Tuscaloosa
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto I 459
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 20; I 59; US 11; AL 5
34 mi
·
36 min
·
I 20; I 59; US 11; AL 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 71B
Toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 359; US 11; AL 69
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 359; US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 359; AL 69
17
Continue on US 43; AL 69
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Turn left onto 20th Street
211 ft
·
11 sec
·
20th Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left
179 ft
·
13 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.7 miles from Alabaster, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 52.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
2nd Place Northwest
Turn right onto 2nd Place Northwest
Navigation decision point
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
County Road 17
At end of road, turn right onto County Road 17
Navigation decision point
6
11.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the ramp toward I 459 South: Tuscaloosa
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 459 South: Tuscaloosa
8
17.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
8
52.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 71B
Toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.41 one way
$16.82 round trip
$3.72/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $9.34 | $18.67 |
| premium | $4.49 | $10.14 | $20.28 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.65 | $25.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.04 | $3.67 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Northport, AL
Morning in Northport on Wednesday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 16m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
57.4 mi in 1h 16m, mostly highway — 33.7 mi of that is on I 20.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.7 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 2nd Place Northwest.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (2nd Place Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (County Road 17): Navigation decision point; at 11.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
652 ft
168 ft
Total Climb
403 ft
Total Descent
664 ft
Highest Point
652 ft
~32.8 mi in
Elevation Range
484 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Alabaster, AL
Full guide →Arriving in Northport, AL
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Northport Historic District — historic place in Alabama, U.S
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 57.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.7 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Northport, AL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (2nd Place Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (County Road 17): Navigation decision point; at 11.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Northport, AL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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