Origin
Montgomery, AL
Morning in Montgomery on Saturday
Local time
11:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montgomery, AL to Brighton, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 54m
Distance
96.2 mi
155 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 46m
★
6 AM
1h 54m
8 AM
2h 11m
10 AM
2h 0m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 1m
5 PM
2h 10m
8 PM
1h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brighton, AL
Expect Best
Trip Overview
The drive from Montgomery, AL to Brighton, AL covers 96.2 miles and takes about 1h 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 65, Jefferson Avenue Southwest, Woodward Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86 miles on I 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.53 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.1 miles from Montgomery, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 54m. Total distance: 96.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 54m highway drive covering 96.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 65 and Jefferson Avenue Southwest. The longest continuous stretch is about 86 miles on I 65.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 65 is the longest continuous segment at about 86 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Jefferson Avenue Southwest. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East South Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 96.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 (East South Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.5 miles (I 65; US 82): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East South Street
Turn left onto East South Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I-65 North: Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 65; US 82
Merge onto I 65; US 82
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
87.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 36m in
Take the exit toward Green Springs Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 258
Toward Green Springs Avenue
5
96.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 86 mi | 1h 33m |
| Jefferson Avenue Southwest | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Woodward Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Dennison Avenue Southwest | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Huntsville Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Bessemer Super Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Green Springs Avenue South | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East South Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 86 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montgomery, AL and Brighton, AL.
1
Start on South Union Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Union Street
2
Turn left onto East South Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East South Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
4
Merge onto I 85
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 85
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
6
Merge onto I 65; US 82
86 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
I 65; US 82
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 258
Toward Green Springs Avenue
8
Turn left onto Green Springs Avenue South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Springs Avenue South
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Green Springs Avenue Southwest
174 ft
·
3 sec
·
Green Springs Avenue Southwest
10
Continue on Dennison Avenue Southwest
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Dennison Avenue Southwest
11
At end of road, turn left onto CR 18
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Jefferson Avenue Southwest
12
Continue on Alemeda Avenue Southwest
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Alemeda Avenue Southwest
13
Continue on Cleburn Avenue Southwest
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Cleburn Avenue Southwest
14
Continue on Brighton Road
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Brighton Road
15
Continue on Woodward Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodward Road
16
Turn left onto US 11; AL 5
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Bessemer Super Highway
17
Turn right onto Wilkes Road
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Wilkes Road
18
Turn left onto Woodward Road
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Woodward Road
19
Continue on Huntsville Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Huntsville Avenue
20
Turn right onto Lewis Street
89 ft
·
10 sec
·
Lewis Street
21
Turn left onto Main Street
519 ft
·
23 sec
·
Main Street
22
Turn right onto Cedar Street
308 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cedar Street
23
Arrive at destination
Cedar Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 48.1 miles from Montgomery, AL, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 21 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.1 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brighton, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Montgomery, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Montgomery, AL
This is one driving day of about 96.2 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Montgomery, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 65 for about 86 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 48.1 mi from Montgomery, AL · 53m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
48 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 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 48.1 miles from Montgomery, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86 miles.
Arriving in Brighton, AL
The final approach into Brighton, AL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.53 one way
$29.06 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
34 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $15.95 | $31.90 |
| premium | $4.56 | $17.27 | $34.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.24 | $42.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 28.9 | 0 | $10.10 | $4.62 |
| Efficient EV | 24.1 | 0 | $8.42 | $3.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 38.5 | 0 | $13.47 | $6.16 |
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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
Brighton, AL
Morning in Brighton on Saturday
Local time
11:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
79°F
Columbiana, AL
48 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
31 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
1h 54m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Montgomery, AL to Brighton, AL covers 96.2 miles and takes about 1h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 65, Jefferson Avenue Southwest, Woodward Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 48.1 miles from Montgomery, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.53 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 96.2 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East South Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.5 miles (I 65; US 82): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Montgomery, AL to Brighton, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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