Origin
Goodwater, AL
Afternoon in Goodwater on Saturday
Local time
1:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Goodwater, AL to Birmingham, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
61.2 mi
98 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Goodwater, AL to Birmingham, AL covers 61.2 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 231, Goodwater Highway, County Road 511 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.1 miles on US 231. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 231 | 42.1 mi | 56m |
| Goodwater Highway | 8.9 mi | 15m |
| County Road 511 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Sylacauga Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Red Mountain Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| West Fort Williams Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Broadway Avenue | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| US 280 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 231
— 42.1 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Goodwater, AL and Birmingham, AL.
1
Start on Railroad Place
133 ft
·
7 sec
·
Railroad Place
2
Continue on CR 511
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Sylacauga Street
3
Continue on County Road 511
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 511
4
Continue on Goodwater Highway
8.9 mi
·
15 min
·
Goodwater Highway
5
Continue on AL 21
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
South Broadway Avenue
6
Turn left onto CR 511
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Fort Williams Street
7
Turn right onto US 231; US 280
42 mi
·
56 min
·
US 231; US 280
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit onto US 280
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
US 280
Toward US 31 North, US 280 West: Birmingham
9
Merge onto US 31; US 280
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Red Mountain Expressway
10
Take the exit
484 ft
·
11 sec
Toward US 11 North: 1st Avenue North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
274 ft
·
12 sec
Toward US 11 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto US 11
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
1st Avenue North
13
Turn right onto 24th Street North
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
24th Street North
14
Arrive at destination
24th Street North
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 30.6 miles from Goodwater, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 58.2 and 60.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
58.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
US 280
Take the exit onto US 280 toward US 31 North, US 280 West: Birmingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 31 North, US 280 West: Birmingham
6
60.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
Take the exit toward US 11 North: 1st Avenue North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 11 North: 1st Avenue North
8
60.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 11 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 11 South
5
60.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
US 11 / 1st Avenue North
Turn left onto US 11 / 1st Avenue North
Navigation decision point
5
60.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
24th Street North
Turn right onto 24th Street North
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.24 one way
$18.49 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $10.15 | $20.29 |
| premium | $4.56 | $10.98 | $21.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.43 | $2.94 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.57 | $3.92 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Afternoon in Birmingham on Saturday
Local time
1:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph
12% chance
Live forecast
79°F
Vincent, AL
31 mi in
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
9 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 28m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
61.2 mi in 1h 28m, mostly highway — 42.1 mi of that is on US 231.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.1 mi on US 231.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 231 and Goodwater Highway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 58.2 miles in near US 280.
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 61.2 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 58.2 miles (US 280): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 61.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m 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 42.1 miles on US 231. 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 58.2 miles (US 280): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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