Tuscaloosa ZIP Code

Getting Around Tuscaloosa and Northport: ZIP Codes, Bridges and Routes

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by

Wesley Jackson
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Tuscaloosa and Northport sit on opposite banks of the Black Warrior River, so most trips between them come down to which bridge you use. This Tuscaloosa Northport commute guide covers the four road bridges that link the two cities, the main highways and county roads on each side, the ZIP code areas those routes pass through, and what public transit does and does not cover.

Tuscaloosa’s four standard ZIP codes (35401, 35404, 35405 and 35406) and Northport’s three (35473, 35475 and 35476) meet along the river and to the north. A ZIP code describes a postal area, not a city boundary or a travel zone, so this guide uses ZIP codes only as rough orientation. For the shapes themselves, see the guide to reading the Tuscaloosa and Northport ZIP code map.

The four river bridges between Tuscaloosa and Northport

Listed from west to east (downstream to upstream), these are the road crossings that carry everyday traffic between the two cities. Interstates 20/59 and the US 11/US 43 Foster Ferry bridge also cross the river, but farther south and west, so they are not direct Northport links.

Road bridges over the Black Warrior River between Tuscaloosa and Northport, west to east
BridgeRoad carriedOpenedWhat it connects
Black Warrior Parkway toll bridgeBlack Warrior Parkway / Joe Mallisham Parkway1998West Tuscaloosa and I-20/59 with western Northport near the airport area; privately owned, tolled
Hugh R. Thomas BridgeUS 43 / AL-691974Downtown Tuscaloosa at the north end of I-359 with Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard in Northport
Woolsey Finnell BridgeUS 82 / McFarland Boulevard1961McFarland Boulevard near the Jack Warner Parkway interchange with the Rice Mine Road interchange on the north bank
Paul W. Bryant BridgeAL-2972004Jack Warner Parkway with Rice Mine Road, entirely within Tuscaloosa

Black Warrior Parkway toll bridge

The westernmost crossing opened in 1998 as part of a western bypass. It is a privately owned toll bridge, which makes it unusual among local river crossings. Local leaders have discussed a state purchase that would remove the toll, but no purchase had been confirmed in the sources reviewed for this guide, so check current status and toll rates before relying on it. Its northern approach reaches the Northport postal area on the west side, near Tuscaloosa National Airport and Robert Cardinal Airport Road.

Hugh R. Thomas Bridge (US 43 / AL-69)

This six-lane bridge opened in 1974 and is named for State Rep. Hugh Rowe Thomas. It replaced a 1922 lift bridge. On the Tuscaloosa side it lands downtown in the 35401 area, where I-359 ends. On the north bank, US 43 and AL-69 continue as Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard into Northport, near the 35476 area.

Woolsey Finnell Bridge (US 82 / McFarland Boulevard)

The four-lane Woolsey Finnell Bridge opened in 1961 and carries US 82; an ALDOT fact sheet notes that the McFarland Boulevard bridge was named for Woolsey Finnell when it opened. ALDOT has planned a replacement bridge; construction timing and lane closures change, so check ALDOT directly rather than relying on older news reports. The south end ties into McFarland Boulevard near DCH Regional Medical Center (809 University Blvd. E., 35401) and Jack Warner Parkway. On the north bank it meets Rice Mine Road at an interchange, an area where Tuscaloosa 35406 addresses such as Randall Family Park appear, and US 82 then continues northwest into Northport’s commercial corridor.

Paul W. Bryant Bridge (AL-297)

Opened April 23, 2004, this 3,785-foot bridge carries the short AL-297 route from Jack Warner Parkway (County Road 88) to Rice Mine Road (County Road 30). Both ends are inside Tuscaloosa, but Rice Mine Road continues toward Northport. A railroad bridge, now listed as the KCS crossing, also spans this reach of the river; it carries no road traffic.

For locks, riverfront parks and the history of the river crossing, see Black Warrior River landmarks by ZIP code.

Main roads in a Tuscaloosa Northport commute guide

The bridges feed a small set of highways and county roads. Knowing their names helps when a listing, school or employer gives directions.

US 82 (McFarland Boulevard)

US 82 is the main east-west spine. South of the river it runs as an expressway past the University of Alabama area and meets I-20/59 at Exit 73. North of the river it becomes Northport’s commercial arterial, passing Towncenter Boulevard, Academy Drive and Indian Hills Drive. Northport City Hall is on it at 3500 McFarland Boulevard (35476). It continues northwest toward Coker; the Coker 35452 guide explains how that town relates to the Northport postal area.

US 43 / AL-69 (Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard)

From the north end of I-359, US 43 and AL-69 cross the Hugh R. Thomas Bridge and run north through Northport to US 82. Farther north, US 43 leads toward the Binion Creek area of Lake Tuscaloosa in the 35475 ZIP code, and AL-69 crosses the North River arm of the lake. The 35475 ZIP code guide covers that larger, more rural postal area.

Interstates: I-20/59 and the I-359 spur

I-20/59 passes south of both cities. I-359 is a 2.76-mile spur, dedicated in 1983, that runs from I-20/59 into downtown Tuscaloosa and ends at US 43/AL-69 just north of 15th Street, where signs point toward Northport. It stays entirely within Tuscaloosa city limits and does not cross the river.

County roads and local connectors

  • Watermelon Road (CR 47): runs west along Watermelon Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Bridge Avenue in Northport. Sokol Park South (5901 Watermelon Rd) has a Northport 35473 mailing address even though county address data places it inside Tuscaloosa city limits, while the Rock Quarry boat landing on New Watermelon Road is in Tuscaloosa 35406. The road passes through more than one postal area.
  • Rice Mine Road (CR 30): follows the north bank between 5th Street in Northport and the Paul W. Bryant Bridge, with an interchange at US 82. Randall Family Park, the Northern Riverwalk trailhead, is at 201 Rice Mine Rd. Loop (35406).
  • Jack Warner Parkway (CR 88): the south-bank riverfront parkway in Tuscaloosa, home to the Tuscaloosa Public Library’s main branch (1801 Jack Warner Pkwy) and Kentuck at Queen City (1901 Jack Warner Pkwy), both in 35401.
  • Robert Cardinal Airport Road: serves Tuscaloosa National Airport and Van de Graaff Arboretum & Historic Bridge Park (3231 Robert Cardinal Airport Rd, Northport 35476).
  • AL-215: follows University Boulevard and Greensboro Avenue on the Tuscaloosa side only; it is not a Northport route.

Which ZIP codes the routes pass through

ZIP codes give only a rough sense of where a road goes. On the Census ZCTA map, 35476 is a small area on the north bank across from downtown, 35473 lies to its north and west, 35475 covers a large area farther north, and 35406 covers Tuscaloosa territory on the north bank to the east. On the south bank, 35401 takes in downtown and the University of Alabama area, 35404 lies east, and 35405 lies to the south.

Mailing ZIPs also do not follow city limits. Tuscaloosa National Airport, at 7601 Robert Cardinal Airport Road, is owned by the City of Tuscaloosa and lies inside Tuscaloosa city limits on the north bank, right beside Northport; its street address uses Tuscaloosa 35401, while the neighboring Van de Graaff Arboretum on the same road has a Northport 35476 address. Some aviation directories print 35476 for the airport, so confirm with USPS before mailing. The explainer on mailing addresses vs. city limits covers why this happens.

Public transit and campus buses

Tuscaloosa Transit Authority (TTA): TTA does not run a Northport route today. A route linking DCH Northport Medical Center with downtown Tuscaloosa began in January 2002 and was discontinued by the mid-2000s. Current routes listed on the TTA route information page include Greensboro, Holt, McKenzie Court, Shelton State, Skyland, University Shuttle and V.A., and none mention Northport. The site also lists a UA GameDay item, so check it ahead of home football weekends.

UA CrimsonRide: the University of Alabama’s CrimsonRide system is free for UA students, faculty, staff and campus visitors. It serves campus and routes to specific off-campus apartment complexes. No Northport service is listed. Students weighing where to live can find more in the guide to choosing housing by ZIP code.

Practical tips for planning a Tuscaloosa–Northport commute

The last part of this Tuscaloosa Northport commute guide is a short checklist for daily trips. If the commute is part of a bigger decision about which side of the river to live on, see Tuscaloosa vs. Northport: comparing ZIP codes before moving.

  • Check closures before you go. ALGO Traffic carries Alabama Department of Transportation road information and live traffic cameras. Work on or near the Woolsey Finnell Bridge is a good reason to check before a regular commute.
  • Budget for the toll if you use the western bridge. Rates are set by the private owner and can change; confirm them before relying on the route daily.
  • Use street addresses, not ZIP codes, for navigation. A ZIP code can cover miles of territory on both sides of a city line. Our guide to finding the correct ZIP code explains how to check an address with USPS.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a bus from Northport to Tuscaloosa?

Not on the current TTA route list. A Northport route ran from 2002 until the mid-2000s. CrimsonRide does not list Northport service either.

Facts in this guide were checked against the sources below on October 10, 2026. Addresses, programs and boundaries can change; confirm with the official source before relying on them.

Sources

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One response to “Getting Around Tuscaloosa and Northport: ZIP Codes, Bridges and Routes”

  1. Black Warrior River Landmarks in Tuscaloosa and Northport

    […] its locks and dams, and the public places along both banks, organized by ZIP code. For bridges, the Tuscaloosa and Northport commute guide covers each crossing and its roads in […]

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