Origin
Bessemer, AL
Late night in Bessemer on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bessemer, AL to Birmingham, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
15.5 mi
25 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bessemer, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Bessemer and Birmingham, this 15.5-mile trip is an efficient way to navigate the Southeast corridor. You can easily complete the entire journey in about 20 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. With fuel costs estimated at just $2, it is an incredibly budget-friendly commute that requires no overnight stops. Because both cities are located within Alabama, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the entire drive. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, the route is straightforward and avoids the complexity of longer interstate treks.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 12.5 mi | 13m |
| 19th Street North | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| 5th Avenue North | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 24th Street North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 12.5 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bessemer, AL and Birmingham, AL.
1
Start on 3rd Avenue North
392 ft
·
22 sec
·
3rd Avenue North
2
Turn left onto 19th Street North
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
19th Street North
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 20 East, I 59 North
4
Merge onto I 20; I 59
12 mi
·
13 min
·
I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 124D
Toward 17th Street North, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
6
Turn left onto Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Turn right onto 19th Street North
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
19th Street North
8
Turn left onto 5th Avenue North
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
5th Avenue North
9
Turn right onto 24th Street North
46 ft
·
1 sec
·
24th Street North
10
Arrive at destination
24th Street North
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
19th Street North
Turn left onto 19th Street North
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 20; I 59
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward 17th Street North, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 124D
Toward 17th Street North, Downtown
5
14.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
14.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
19th Street North
Turn right onto 19th Street North
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.34 one way
$4.68 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $2.57 | $5.14 |
| premium | $4.56 | $2.78 | $5.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Birmingham, AL
Late night in Birmingham on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
3 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
20m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as roughly 80% of your travel time will be spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-20, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.5 miles. The route begins with this fast-paced interstate segment before transitioning onto 19th Street North and 5th Avenue North as you approach your final destination. While the interstate portion offers a straightforward, efficient rhythm, the shift to local streets provides a clear change in pace as you pull into the heart of Birmingham. It is a practical, no-nonsense drive designed for speed and direct access.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and 19th Street North. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 19th Street North.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 15.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 (19th Street North): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 20; I 59): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
660 ft
500 ft
Total Climb
244 ft
Total Descent
146 ft
Highest Point
660 ft
~13.3 mi in
Elevation Range
160 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bessemer, AL and Birmingham, AL, road signs point toward 17Th Street North and Downtown.
17Th Street North
13.8 mi in
|
~16m
Downtown
13.8 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
Starting in Bessemer, AL
Full guide →Bessemer is an industrial city in Metropolitan Alabama, just outside of Birmingham.
Arriving in Birmingham, AL
Full guide →Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.
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 20m. Total distance: 15.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (19th Street North): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 20; I 59): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Birmingham, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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