Bob Wallace Avenue/Sparkman Drive
| Length | 10.4 mi[1] (16.7 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Huntsville, Alabama |
| North end |
  US-231/431 Memorial Parkway(continues as  US-72 East) |
| Major junctions |
US-231 Memorial Parkway |
| South end | Lytle Street SE |
Bob Wallace Avenue and Sparkman Drive are major thoroughfares in Huntsville, Alabama that connect to make a horseshoe shape around the city. The two roads run through several residential neighborhoods and school zones including University of Alabama in Huntsville. On average, approximately 21,000 vehicles travel the two roads a day.[2]
Street Description
US-72 enters the city of Huntsville over Chapman Mountain from the north east and follows exit 21 on I-565 to intersect US-231/431 (Memorial Parkway) in north Huntsville where Sparkman Drive begins. The five lane road travels just to the south of a newly built Walmart Supercenter and travels west to intersect Blue Spring Road before entering into a densely populated residential area. The road then intersects Pulaski Pike before turning southwest, providing access to Highlands Elementary School and Ed White Middle School, just one of many schools located on the road.
Sparkman Drive insects Jordan Lane (SR-53) and continues heading southwest, intersecting Adventist Boulevard. The road then starts to head south, continuing to run through a residential area before traveling beside the Huntsville West Shopping Center and under University Drive (US-72). Direct access to University Drive is provided by on- and off-ramps. Sparkman Drive continues to head south, running along the east border of Cummings Research Park and to the west of University of Alabama in Huntsville to intersect Bradford Drive and Holmes Avenue.
After passing UAH, Sparkman Drive passes over Interstate 565 and becomes Bob Wallace Avenue. Following a sharp turn to the east, Bob Wallace Avenue passes by a service road providing access to the US Space and Rocket Center. Bob Wallace Avenue runs north of Morris Elementary School and continues east passing by the Huntsville Botanical Garden to intersect Jordan Lane and Patton Road, where Kiwanis Soccer Park is located. Heading south on Patton Road, you can quickly access gates 8 and 10 of the Redstone Arsenal.
Bob Wallace continues east to provide access to Westlawn Middle School before heading into a residential area to intersect Triana Boulevard and other surface streets, including First Street Southwest which provides access to Brahan Spring Park and Milton Frank Stadium. Bob Wallace passes over Spring Branch creek to intersect Leeman Ferry Road and Memorial Parkway. After passing under the Parkway, Bob Wallace continues east to cross over a former Louisville and Nashville Railroad rail line and travels south of Huntsville High School where the road narrows to four lanes from five. Bob Wallace continues through an older residential area to intersect Whitesburg Drive, followed by California Street where the road then narrows down to two lanes. Bob Wallace ends at Lytle Street.
History
Sparkman Drive and Bob Wallace Avenue were once two separate streets before Interstate 565 was built in the early 1990s. Bob Wallace Avenue connected directly to Old Madison Pike and Sparkman Drive intersected to two roads just south of what was State Route 20 (now Interstate 565).
Prior to 1958, Bob Wallace Avenue was actually 13th Street West. On November 1, 1958 13th Street West was officially renamed to Bob Wallace Avenue in accordance an ordinance (ordinance no. 58-165)[3][4] that renamed much of the streets within the city of Huntsville.
Major Intersections
| Road | Notes |
|---|---|
| US-231/431 (Memorial Parkway) | |
| Pulaski Pike NW | |
 SR-53 (Jordan Lane NW) | |
| Adventist Blvd NW | Leads to Oakwood University |
| US-72 (University Drive) | via access ramps |
| Bradford Drive NW/Holmes Ave NW | Accesses Cummings Research Park |
 I-565 | becomes Bob Wallace Avenue, exit 15 on I-565 |
| Jordan Lane SW/Patton Road SW | Leads to Gate 10 of Redstone Arsenal[5] |
| Triana Blvd SW | |
| First Street SW | Leads to Brahan Spring Park |
| Leeman Ferry Road SW | |
| US-231 Memorial Parkway | |
| Whitesburg Drive South | |
| California Street SE |
Education
Multiple schools and colleges are located on or directly accessible via Sparkman Drive and Bob Wallace Avenue.
- Berachah Academy[6]
- Ed White Middle School[7]
- Morris Elementary School[8]
- Highland Elementary School[9]
- Huntsville High School[10]
- Westlawn Middle School[11]
- University of Alabama in Huntsville[12]
Public Transportation
Multiple City of Huntsville shuttle bus stops are located in various locations along the two roads.[13]
References
- ↑ Overview of Bob Wallace Ave/Sparkman Drive (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ↑ - City of Huntsville Traffic Engineering
- ↑ "City street name change ordinance, no. 58-165, City of Huntsville". Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ↑ Hollis, Mike (13 July 2009). "Who was Bob Wallace Avenue named for?". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ↑ Redstone Arsenal - Gate Schedules Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Berachah Academy (in Madison County, AL) - Hometown Locator
- ↑ Huntsville City Schools - Ed White Middle
- ↑ Huntsville City Schools - Morris Elementary
- ↑ Huntsville City SChools - Highland Elementary
- ↑ Huntsville City Schools - Huntsville High
- ↑ Huntsville City Schools - Westlawn Middle
- ↑ UAHuntsville - The University of Alabama in Huntsville
- ↑ City of Huntsville Public Transit