University Drive is a major east–west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama,[1][2] following US Route 72 into the city from the west. The highway carries on average approximately 56,000 vehicles a day[3] at 45 mph (72 km/h).
 | |
| Length | 7.1 mi (11.4 km)[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Huntsville, Alabama |
| East end | Church Street (continues as Pratt Ave) |
| Major junctions |  Research Park Blvd Jordan Lane  Memorial Parkway |
| West end | Jeff Road (continues as  US 72) |
Route Description
editFrom the west, US 72 enters Madison County inside the city limits of Huntsville and runs east eventually running through the north tip of the city of Madison, where it splits Huntsville and Madison's city limits, with Huntsville to the north, Madison to the south.[4] At Jeff Road, the four lane US 72 takes on the name of University Drive and passes to the south of Huntsville Memorial Gardens and over Indian Creek, where it meets Providence Main Street, where it widens to seven lanes.
Continuing east, University Drive passes through multiple shopping centers and car dealerships. University Drive meets Research Park Blvd / Alabama 255 with a six-ramp partial cloverleaf and passes just to the north of MidCity Huntsville, formerly Madison Square Mall. University Drive then passes to the south of Huntsville West Shopping Center. An overpass over Sparkman Drive with on- and off-ramps provides access to the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Following the interchange, the road runs under a pedestrian and bicycle bridge and then meets Alabama 53 / Jordan Lane.
University Drive eventually connects to Memorial Parkway, where US-72 splits off and heads north with US 231/431. Going through the intersection, University Drive narrows to five lanes and intersects Church Street, where it becomes Pratt Ave. Pratt Ave continues east, directly connecting to Five Points and then runs up Monte Sano Mountain.
Major intersections
edit| Road | Notes |
|---|---|
| Jeff Road | |
| Providence Main Street | |
| Enterprise Way | Accesses Cummings Research Park |
| Research Park Blvd/Northern Bypass |
Limited access highway connecting to  Interstate 565
|
| Old Monrovia Road | Accesses MidCity Huntsville, formerly Madison Square Mall |
| Wynn Drive | |
| Sparkman Drive | Accesses University of Alabama in Huntsville |
| Jordan Lane |
|
| Pulaski Pike | |
| Memorial Parkway |
Accesses Interstate 565 US 72 splits off and heads north |
| Church Street | Accesses Downtown Huntsville |
Retail
editUniversity Drive is a major commercial thoroughfare through west Huntsville that includes a number of shopping centers, hotels, fast food locations, and other various businesses including two movie theaters, Carmike Huntsville 10 and Madison Square 12.
Shopping Centers:[5]
- Midcity
- The Fountain
- Northwood Plaza Shopping Center
- Westside Center
Major retail stores include:
Transportation
editAccess to shuttle buses provided by the city of Huntsville are available along University Drive.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Overview Map of University Drive (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ City of Huntsville Interactive Maps (Map). Huntsville City. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ "City of Huntsville Traffic Engineering". Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ Huntsville City Limits
- ^ Major Retail Stores in Huntsville/Madison County
- ^ "City of Huntsville Public Transit". Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.