Infrastructure

Infrastructure

DeKalb County is your gateway to growth with a robust infrastructure that keeps you connected by land, air, and sea. Our network of highways, railways, airports, and waterways provides strategic access to major Southeastern markets and positions our county as a central hub of commercial activity. Explore how our strategic location can serve as your springboard to business success while maintaining a comfortable cost of living for our families and workforce. 

DeKalb County Alabama
Alabama Radius Map

Highways

DeKalb County has been chosen by many distribution companies because of the excellent highway system that runs through and near the county. There are 208 miles of state highways and 42 miles of interstate highways in DeKalb County, including Interstate 59 which runs through the county.

Distance to Major Highways

Highway Miles
Interstate 24 37
Interstate 75 55
Interstate 65 87
US Highway 431 32
US Highway 72 28

Highway Projects

  • Alabama Highway 35 has been turned into a four-lane highway from Rainsville to Scottsboro, Alabama, where it intersects with US Highway 72. This provides a four-lane access to Memphis, TN.
  • Continued development of Alabama Highway 75 into a four-lane highway from Albertville, AL to Trenton, GA.
  • A new Interstate 59 interchange, Exit 224, is complete.
  • US Highway 11 in North Fort Payne is a five-lane highway from Interstate 59 Exit 222 to Exit 224.
Alabama Radius Map

Distance to Major Markets

City Miles
Atlanta, GA 114
Birmingham, AL 95.8
Charlotte, NC 345.6
Chattanooga, TN 53.9
Houston, TX 764.5
Huntsville, AL 69
Jacksonville, FL 460.8
Lexington, KY 330.2
Lincoln, AL 70
Memphis, TN 284
Mobile, AL 350
Nashville, TN 174.6
New Orleans, LA 393
Savannah, GA 363.3

Railway

DeKalb County is served by the Norfolk Southern Railroad that traverses the valley region from a southwest to northeast direction through the Towns of Collinsville and Valley Head and the City of Fort Payne. This main rail line parallels both Interstate 59 and U.S. Highway 11 and runs from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast, linking the Gulf and the East Coast. The Norfolk Southern Railroad provides daily car pickup and deliveries and is a major line for the railroad company.

Huntsville International Intermodal Center

The International Intermodal Center in Huntsville is a U.S. Customs Port of Entry. The center provides air cargo services through the Huntsville International Airport and rail cargo services through Norfolk Southern Railroad. The center has services for receiving, transferring, storing and distributing international and domestic cargo. The center is serviced by many freight forwarders and truckers.

Birmingham Regional Intermodal Facility (BRIMF) in McCalla Alabama

Norfolk Southern Railroad newest Intermodal facility provides freight transportation on the Crescent Corridor which spans from New Orleans on through to New York. BRIMF is capable of handling 100,000 annual containers for receiving, transferring, and distribution of international and domestic cargo.

Norfolk Southern Railway

Ports

Along with the private ports listed below, Alabama State Docks are 43 miles away on the Tennessee River providing a navigable waterway to the port of Mobile and the Mississippi River.

Mid-South terminals

Mid-South Terminals

100 Hamm Road
Chattanooga, TN 37405
Phone: (423) 266-1855

  • 55.4 Miles Away

  • Private

  • Facilities: Loading docks, mooring cells and cranes

  • Uses: General freight transfer. NS rail connection. Operated by Serodino, Inc.

JIT Port

JIT Chemical Corporation

Chattanooga, TN
Phone: (423) 266-4888

  • 54.4 Miles Away

  • Private

  • Facilities: Docking barge, mooring cells, crane, pipelines, storage tank, and steam

  • Uses: Barge-truck liquid product transfer. NS rail connection

Port of Nickajack

849 Port Road
South Pittsburg, TN. 37380
(423) 837-1050

  • 58.6 Miles Away

  • Private

  • Facilities: Dock, Mooring cells, crane, knuckle boom loader, and front-end loader

  • Uses: General Freight Transfer. Operated by Parker Towing.

Airports

Isbell Field
Fort Payne Municipal Airport

  • Runway length: 5,080 feet
  • Full-service fixed-base operator – Valley Aviation
  • Automated weather observation system
  • Non-directional beacon and GPS approach
  • Jet fuel
  • Charter service available

Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport

  • Located 62 miles north of DeKalb County
  • Serviced by 5 airlines
  • Flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Memphis, Orlando, Washington D.C., Tampa (via St. Petersburg)

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

  • Located 91 miles south of DeKalb County
  • Serviced by 7 airlines
  • Approximately 140 flights daily
  • 24 non-stop destinations and 20 cities served direct

Huntsville International Airport

  • Located 82 miles west of DeKalb County
  • Serviced by 5 airlines
  • Non-stop flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Orlando, Washington DC, Dulles & National
  • International Intermodal Center located at this location, providing air, rail, and motor carrier terminals

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

  • Located 124 miles east of DeKalb County
  • Serviced by 10 domestic major airlines and 14 regional airlines
  • Serviced by 6 international airlines

Nashville International Airport

  • Located 163 miles north of DeKalb County
  • Serviced by 13 airlines
  • Non-stop flights to 40 U.S. cities, as well as cities in Canada and Cancun