Editing Locust Fork, Alabama (section)

==Transportation and growth==
Locust Fork straddles [[Alabama State Route 79]], which is a north–south highway running from [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] {{convert|31|mi}} to the south and [[Scottsboro, Alabama|Scottsboro]] {{convert|65|mi}} to the northeast. Blount County Road 13 runs northwestward to connect to Alabama Highway 160 between the communities of [[Hayden, Alabama|Hayden]] and [[Nectar, Alabama|Nectar]]. Blount County Road 15 intersects Alabama 79 just north of Locust Fork and provides a connection to the county seat of [[Oneonta, Alabama|Oneonta]], {{convert|14|mi}} to the east. Also located along County Road 15 is the Limestone Springs Golf Course and residential development, {{convert|4|mi|0}} southeast of town. The nearest interstate highways are [[Interstate 65]] located some {{convert|15|mi}} west of Locust Fork and [[Interstate 59]] located some {{convert|25|mi}} east of Locust Fork. Air travel is handled primarily from the [[Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport]] located some {{convert|30|mi}} southwest of Locust Fork. Locust Fork is located along one of the two major Alabama state highways that run northeast from Birmingham to the Sand Mountain area of [[Guntersville, Alabama|Guntersville]], [[Albertville, Alabama|Albertville]], and [[Boaz, Alabama|Boaz]]. It is an alternate route from Birmingham to [[Huntsville, Alabama|Huntsville]] and [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]].

The Locust Fork area has and continues to see strong residential growth mainly due to outflow from [[Jefferson County, Alabama|Jefferson County]] as residents there seek a more rural environment as well as a lower tax structure. As a result of this growth, enrollment in schools has risen substantially. Also, traffic along the main Highway 79 artery has risen, and the road has become increasingly dangerous between the termination of a four-lane divided highway just north of [[Pinson, Alabama|Pinson]] and Locust Fork. There has been some discussion of upgrading the road to four-lane status, but such work is still considered several years away. Locust Fork will also be impacted by the eventual construction of the [[Corridor X-1|Northern Beltline]], which is slated to cross Highway 79 just north of Pinson. This controlled-access highway (officially designated as Interstate 422) will provide much quicker access for Locust Fork residents traveling east to [[Trussville, Alabama|Trussville]] or westward to [[Gardendale, Alabama|Gardendale]], [[Graysville, Alabama|Graysville]], and [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]]. However, this route is still 10–15 years away from completion.