Origin
Irondale, AL
Late night in Irondale on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Irondale, AL to Birmingham, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
11m
Distance
6.8 mi
11 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 11m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irondale, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Irondale to Birmingham is 6.8 miles and takes about 11 minutes via 1st Avenue North/I-20, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Alabama, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Expect a local feel with frequent turns rather than a long, open highway experience. With such a brief travel time, this trip is ideal for a quick transfer or a short excursion, offering flexibility in your day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Avenue North | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| I 20 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Montevallo Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 24th Street North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 1st Avenue South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 64th Street South | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 16th Street South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| I-20 Frontage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
1st Avenue North
— 3.9 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Irondale, AL and Birmingham, AL.
1
Start on this road
29 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 1st Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
1st Avenue South
3
At end of road, turn left onto 16th Street South
429 ft
·
15 sec
·
16th Street South
4
Turn right onto Montevallo Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Montevallo Road
5
Turn right onto I-20 Frontage Road
163 ft
·
7 sec
·
I-20 Frontage Road
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 20 West
7
Merge onto I 20
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 20
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 130B
Toward 1st Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on 64th Street South
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
64th Street South
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto US 11
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
1st Avenue North
11
Turn right onto 24th Street North
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
24th Street North
12
Arrive at destination
24th Street North
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 2.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Avenue South
Turn left onto 1st Avenue South
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
16th Street South
At end of road, turn left onto 16th Street South
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Montevallo Road
Turn right onto Montevallo Road
Navigation decision point
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 20 West
7
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward 1st Avenue South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 130B
Toward 1st Avenue South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.03 one way
$2.05 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.13 | $2.25 |
| premium | $4.56 | $1.22 | $2.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.50 | $3.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.33 |
| Efficient EV | 1.7 | 0 | $0.60 | $0.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.95 | $0.44 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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 Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
28 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
11m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 22% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a mix of city streets and interstate travel, requiring your attention for navigation. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 3.9 miles along 1st Avenue North. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction as you transition between main roads like 1st Avenue North, I-20, and Montevallo Road.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.9 mi on 1st Avenue North.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 1st Avenue South.
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 6.8 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (1st Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (16th Street South): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Montevallo Road): Navigation decision point.
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.
On the drive from Irondale, AL to Birmingham, AL, road signs begin pointing toward 1St Avenue South along the way.
1St Avenue South
2.3 mi in
|
~4m
About the Cities
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 11m. Total distance: 6.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (22%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.9 miles on 1st Avenue North. 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: near the start (1st Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (16th Street South): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Montevallo Road): Navigation decision point.
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 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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