Airport Road (Huntsville)

Airport Road
Length 1.9 mi[1] (3.1 km)
Location Huntsville, Alabama
West end Leeman Ferry Road SW
Major
junctions
Memorial Parkway
East end Carl T. Jones Drive SE

Airport Road is a major east-west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama[1] that connects the Jones Valley and Hampton Cove subdivisions to Memorial Parkway and the rest of the city. On average approximately 31,000 vehicles travel the 2 mile stretch of road a day.[2]

Street Description

Looking up Airport Road from Memorial Parkway
An overview of Airport Road

From the west, the road starts as the five lane highway Johnson Road coming from Triana Boulevard heading east. At Leeman Ferry Road, Johnson Road becomes Airport Road traveling through John Hunt Park as a scenic four lane divided highway leading to Memorial Parkway. Once crossing under the Parkway, the road crosses over a former Louisville and Nashville Railroad rail line as the travel lanes of Airport Road get narrow as the five lane highway fits in between the many businesses down the street. Airport Road passes north of the Westbury Shopping Center and south of the Country Club apartments.

Airport Road has signalized intersections with Balmoral Drive and Queensbury Drive, both of which lead to the large Waterford Square (formerly named Queensbury) apartments complex, and Chateau Drive, which leads to a residential neighborhood. Following these intersections is Hospital Drive, which leads to Crestwood Medical Center to the north. Several churches, including Trinity United Methodist Church, run along the south side of Airport Road. Airport Road then meets Whitesburg Drive, where it travels across Garth Mountain, then runs into Jones Valley, where the road then becomes Carl T. Jones Drive. The same 21.7 miles (34.9 km) stretch of asphalt has several more names (Bailey Cove Road, Green Cove Road, Buxton Road, Dodd Road) until it loops back through Redstone Arsenal to 4.4 miles (7.1 km) from where it started.[3][4]

History

Airport Road once provided direct access to the old Airport from Whitesburg Drive, which was once US-231. The old Airport was located west of Memorial Parkway in what is now John Hunt Park. In fact, several old runways still exist.

On November 15, 1989, a tornado destroyed much of the businesses along Airport Road including numerous houses in the heavily populated residential areas around the road. Twenty-one people died, 463 were injured, and caused an estimated $100 million in damage.

Major Intersections

Airport Road continues west as Johnson Road at the intersection of Leeman Ferry Road. The road continues as Carl T. Jones Drive in the east at the top of Garth Mountain. The road later becomes Bailey Cove Road and Green Cove Road.

Road Notes
Johnson Road
Triana Blvd SW Start of roadway
Airport Road
Leeman Ferry Road SW Leads to Joe Davis Stadium
Memorial Parkway
Whitesburg Drive South
Carl T. Jones Drive
Garth Road SE
Cecil Asburn Drive SE/Four Mile Post Road Leads to Hampton Cove
Bailey Cove Road
Willowbrook Drive SE
Weatherly Road SE
Green Mountain Road SE
Mountain Gap Road SE
Hobbs Road SE
Green Cove Road
Ditto Landing Parkway SE Leads to Ditto Landing
Memorial Parkway

Retail

Shopping centers located on Airport Road include:

Transportation

Shuttle buses provided by the City of Huntsville stop along Airport Road.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Overview Map of Airport Road (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  2. City of Huntsville Traffic Engineering
  3. "Wikimapia Redstone Arsenal". Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  4. "Google Maps directions". Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  5. "Retail For Lease in Huntsville AL Piedmont Point Shopping Center". Commercial Property details and pictures. Retrieved 8 Mar 2012.
  6. "5000 Whitesburg Drive S - Whitesburg Shopping Center - Whitesburg Shopping Center, Huntsville, AL 35802-1627". Property details on Showcase.com. Retrieved 2 Mar 2012.
  7. Public Transportation Division. "Public Transportation". City of Huntsville. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
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