Bob Wallace Avenue and Sparkman Drive are major thoroughfares in

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...

that connect to make a horseshoe-shaped road around the city. The two roads run through several residential neighborhoods and school zones including the

University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research university in Huntsville, Alabama. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and comprises nine colleges: arts, humanities & social science ...

. On average, approximately 21,000 vehicles travel along the roads each day.

Description

US-72 enters the city of Huntsville over Chapman Mountain from the north east and follows exit 21 on

I-565 Interstate 565 (I-565) is a Interstate spur that connects I-65 in Decatur with U.S. Route 72 (US 72) in Huntsville in the US state of Alabama. I-565 serves the cities of Decatur, Madison, and downtown Huntsville. It also prov ...

to intersect US-231/431 (Memorial Parkway) in north Huntsville where it becomes Sparkman Drive. The five lane road travels west, intersecting Blue Spring Road, and enters into a residential area. The road then intersects Pulaski Pike before turning southwest, providing access to Highlands Elementary School and the Academy for Academics and Arts magnet school (formerly Ed White Middle School). Sparkman Drive intersects Jordan Lane ( SR-53) and continues heading southwest, intersecting Adventist Boulevard. The road then turns south, running through a residential area before traveling under

University Drive University Drive is a major east–west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama, following US Route 72 into the city from the west. The highway carries on average approximately 56,000 vehicles a day at . Route Description From the west, US 72 enter ...

( US-72), where access is provided by controlled-access ramps. Sparkman Drive continues to head south, running along the east border of

Cummings Research Park Cummings Research Park, located primarily in the city of Huntsville, Alabama is the second largest research park in the United States and the fourth largest in the world. It is one of the world’s leading science and technology business parks, with ...

and to the west of

to intersect Bradford Drive and Holmes Avenue. After passing UAH, Sparkman Drive passes over

Interstate 565 Interstate 565 (I-565) is a Interstate spur that connects I-65 in Decatur with U.S. Route 72 (US 72) in Huntsville in the US state of Alabama. I-565 serves the cities of Decatur, Madison, and downtown Huntsville. It also prov ...

and then 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 The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is a museum operated by the government of Alabama, showcasing rockets, achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program. Sometimes billed as "Earth's largest space museum", astronaut Ow ...

. This section of Bob Wallace is planned to house part of the future Singing River Trail of North Alabama, a 70-mile bicycling and walking trail that will connect Huntsville, Madison, Athens, and Decatur. Bob Wallace Avenue runs north of Morris Elementary School and continues east passing by the

Huntsville Botanical Garden The Huntsville Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located at 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama, near the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. It is open year-round for a fee. The garden is ranked third on the list of Alabama's top paid to ...

to intersect Jordan Lane and Patton Road, where Kiwanis Soccer Park is located. Heading south on Patton Road, the road provides access to gates 8 and 10 of the

Redstone Arsenal Redstone Arsenal (RSA) is a United States Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Arsenal is a garrison f ...

. Bob Wallace Avenue continues east to provide access to Westlawn Middle School before heading into a residential area and intersecting Triana Boulevard and other surface streets, including 1st Street Southwest which provides access to Brahan Spring Park and

Milton Frank Stadium Milton Frank Stadium is a 12,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Huntsville, Alabama. It was used for Alabama A&M football games before the creation of Louis Crews Stadium. It is currently used mainly for Huntsville City Schools high school and m ...

. Bob Wallace Avenue 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 The Louisville and Nashville Railroad , commonly called the L&N, was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850, the road grew into one of the ...

rail line and travels south of Huntsville High School where the road narrows to four lanes from five. Bob Wallace continues through another residential area to intersect Whitesburg Drive, followed by California Street where the road then narrows down to two lanes, and reaching its southern terminus 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 with an ordinance (ordinance no. 58-165) that renamed much of the streets within the city of Huntsville.

Major Intersections

Education

Multiple schools and colleges are located on or directly accessible via Sparkman Drive and Bob Wallace Avenue. *Berachah Academy *Academy for Academics and Arts (formerly Ed White Middle School) *Morris Elementary School *Highland Elementary School * Huntsville High School *Westlawn Middle School *

Public Transportation

Multiple City of Huntsville

shuttle bus A shuttle bus is a bus that travels a shorter route in comparison to most bus routes. Typically, shuttle buses travel in both directions between two points. Shuttle buses are designed to transport large groups of people who are all travellin ...

stops are located in various locations along the two roads.City of Huntsville Public Transit

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bob Wallace Avenue Sparkman Drive Streets in Alabama Roads in Alabama Transportation in Huntsville, Alabama