Memorial Parkway, also known as the Parkway, is a major thoroughfare in

Huntsville 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 th ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

that carries over 100,000 vehicles on average a day. It, in whole or in part, follows

U.S. Route 231 U.S. Route 231 (US 231) is a north-south United States Numbered Highway System, U.S highway that is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31, US 31. It runs for from St. John, Indiana, St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 in Indiana, US 41 ...

U.S. Route 431 U.S. Route 431 (US 431) is a spur of U.S. Route 31. It currently travels for approximately from US 231/Alabama State Route 210 and US 231 Business (US 231 Bus.) and US 431 Bus. in Dothan, Alabama, to Owensboro, ...

U.S. Route 72 U.S. Route 72 (US 72) is an east–west United States highway that travels for from southwestern Tennessee, throughout North Mississippi, North Alabama, and southeastern Tennessee. The highway's western terminus is in Memphis, Tennessee and ...

, and State Route 53 through the Huntsville city limits. It is a

limited access road A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...

through most of Huntsville city proper, providing exits to the

frontage road A frontage road (also known as an access road, outer road, service road, feeder road, or parallel road) is a local road running parallel to a higher-speed, limited-access road. A frontage road is often used to provide access to private drivew ...

which allows access to road intersections, as well as businesses and residences along the route. Both the limited access and frontage roads are referred to as Memorial Parkway. Originally constructed to bypass downtown Huntsville and officially opened on December 1, 1955, the highway is the major commercial thoroughfare through Huntsville, a status it has held since the mid-1960s.

General plan and structure

The limited access portions of the Parkway contain eight to ten lanes of traffic; in each direction there are two to three lanes of limited-access traffic, paralleled by a two-lane, one-way frontage road. At major intersections, the limited-access lanes overpass the intersecting road with a "camel back" type overpass, while the frontage roads have a signal-controlled intersection with the intersecting road. At each overpass, there is a

Texas U-turn A Texas U-turn, or Texas turnaround, boomerang, or loop around, is a lane allowing cars traveling on one side of a one-way frontage road to U-turn onto the opposite frontage road (typically crossing over or under a freeway or expressway). Typical ...

configuration a pair of turn lanes that permit traffic on the frontage roads to make

U-turn A U-turn in driving refers to performing a 180° rotation to reverse the direction of travel. It is called a "U-turn" because the maneuver looks like the letter U. In some areas, the maneuver is illegal, while in others, it is treated as a m ...

s between the northbound and southbound frontage roads without having to go through the signalized intersection. Generally, in between overpasses, there exists a pair of entrance and exit ramps that allow traffic to transition between the limited-access lanes and the parallel frontage road. Other than at intersections with overpasses, traffic on the frontage road always has the right of way vs. intersecting streets and driveways and there are no other traffic signals. The frontage roads do not exist between the University Drive and Clinton Avenue overpasses; here through traffic must merge into the limited-access lanes. There are two intersections where the Parkway crosses under the intersecting road, at Martin Road and

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 ...

. At the I-565 interchange, it is possible for Parkway traffic to make a U-turn by executing a sequence of ramp lane changes, although no signage indicates this. Most of the non-limited access portions within the Huntsville city limits consist of six through lanes, three in each direction, separated by a median. There are no frontage roads on these portions. Most of the portion north of the Mastin Lake Road intersection consists of four lanes, two in each direction.

Route description

From the south,

US 231 U.S. Route 231 (US 231) is a north-south U.S highway that is a parallel route of US 31. It runs for from St. John, Indiana, at US 41 to south of US 98 in downtown Panama City, Florida. One of its most notable landmarks is ...

Alabama 53 State Route 53 (SR 53) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Alabama. The majority, between Dothan and Huntsville, is signed as U.S. Route 231 (US 231), but the two ends – south to Florida and north to I-65/ US&nb ...

enters Madison County and the city limits of Huntsville over the Tennessee River via the Clement C. Clay Bridge, which is also known as Whitesburg Bridge. From there, the four lane US 231 takes the name of Memorial Parkway and travels north passing Hobbs Island Road where it widens to six lanes. Memorial Parkway passes to the east of a

Sanmina-SCI Corporation Sanmina Corporation is an American electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider headquartered in San Jose, California that serves original equipment manufacturers in communications and computer hardware fields. The firm has nearly 80 manufa ...

production plant, crossing over Green Cove Road. From there, it continues north, passing beside various businesses and farm lands. The Parkway intersects Hobbs Road just south of the first major shopping center of many, the Southeast Plaza Shopping Center. Continuing due north, the Parkway passes Mountain Gap Road and Meadowbrook Drive. Just north of Meadowbrook Drive, the first of many overpasses start. Vehicles are directed to exit here to access both Whitesburg Drive and Weatherly Road. Just north of Weatherly Road, the Parkway's controlled access highway merges back to a six-lane highway with traffic signals at Lily Flagg Road and Byrd Spring Road. (Previously existing signals at Charlotte Drive and Boulevard South were removed in July 2016.) Then a series of overpasses start just north of Martin Road; the first is Golf Road, followed by Airport Road, passing by

John Hunt Park John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

. Following Airport Road, there is a "useless" overpass, as it is referred to by locals since it crosses over no other roadway. This overpass was originally constructed to provide a convenient

as well as allow quicker access to businesses alongside the Parkway. The Parkway continues north with overpasses at Drake and Bob Wallace Avenues, where it passes by

Parkway Place Mall Parkway Place is an upscale shopping mall in Huntsville, Alabama that opened on October 16, 2002. Parkway Place is located at the site of the older Parkway City Mall, which was torn down to allow for the construction of the newer facility. The m ...

. At

Governors Drive Governors Drive is a major east–west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama. It follows U.S. Route 431 (US-431) in east Huntsville and State Route 53 (SR-53) in west Huntsville. Governors Drive is one of the main entrance points to the city from ...

, Alabama 53 splits off and travels west and US 231 begins its overlap with US 431. The Parkway continues north with an overpass at Clinton Ave / Holmes Avenue with a full interchange with

; this interchange is sometimes referred to as Malfunction Junction. The Parkway has an overpass at US 72 West/

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 ...

where an additional overlap with US 72 begins. An overpass at Oakwood Ave leads to a recently constructed overpass over Max Luther Drive and Sparkman Drive, where the overlap with US 72 ends as it splits off to the east. The Parkway continues north with at-grade intersection at Mastin Lake Road, which is planned to have an overpass built by 2021. Memorial Parkway continues north passing by Alabama A&M University with at-grade intersections at Winchester Road, Meridian Street, and Bob Wade Lane, where the Parkway officially ends and the route continues as US 231/431.

History

US 231 originally ran down through the center of Huntsville following Meridian Street and Whitesburg Drive through Downtown. Memorial Parkway was built as a four-lane highway in the 1950s to bypass downtown. At the time, the only overpass crossed over Holmes Avenue, with ramps providing access from and to the Parkway. In the early 1960s, the overpass was extended to make it also span Clinton Avenue. There were traffic signals at every other major intersection, plus a number of secondary intersections, many of which were eliminated over the years as part of the limited-access construction. With the establishment of the U.S. Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in the 1960s, Huntsville underwent massive population growth, and, as a result, traffic increased. State and City leaders started planning to make the Parkway a limited access highway and the second overpass, the "useless" overpass, opened in 1969. In 1973, the Drake Avenue overpass officially opened, followed by an overpass at Bob Wallace Avenue/Sparkman Drive, Bob Wallace Avenue in 1976. An overpass at

opened in 1978. In 1986, the

overpass opened, and in the 1990s, overpasses at Airport Road, Golf Road, and Oakwood Avenue opened making a controlled access highway throughout much of the city. In 1992, the interchange with I-565 opened. The interchange includes a mix of cloverleaf and fly-over ramps to provide full merge-in and merge-out access to both routes. As part of this construction, the original Clinton and Holmes overpasses were torn down and replaced with wider ones incorporating the necessary merge lanes. In December 2009, overpasses at Whitesburg Drive and Weatherly Road in South Huntsville opened to the public; and an overpass over Bob Wallace Avenue/Sparkman Drive, Sparkman Drive, Max Luther Drive, and US 72 East opened on April 10, 2012. Prior to 2018, a non-controlled portion of the Parkway remained from the Whitesburg Drive to Martin Road exits, but the construction of new limited-access lanes were completed in 2018, with the previous route becoming frontage roads. As of 2018, the Parkway is fully limited-access from the aforementioned Sparkman Drive exit in the north to just north of Meadowbrook Drive in the south.

Expansion

Memorial Parkway's limited access portion is being expanded to include interchanges and frontage roads at various cross streets along the Parkway. Overpasses are currently planned for the Parkway's intersections with Winchester Road and Mastin Lake Road on the north side, and Hobbs Road, Green Cove Road, and Hobbs Island Road on the south side. Estimated completion dates for significant current Parkway projects are statuses in a quarterly ''Construction Bulletin'' from the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)'s Bureau of Transportation Planning. The City of Huntsville is planning construction of a Multimodal transport, multi-modal bridge to be used by for pedestrians and bicyclist to cross over Memorial Parkway between the interchanges of Holmes Avenue and Governors Drive. This bridge will be a part of the larger Singing River Trail of North Alabama.

North side

* Walker Lane * Patterson Lane * Meridianville Bottom Road * Winchester Road * Mastin Lake Road

South side

* Mountain Gap Road/Hobbs Road * Green Cove Road * Hobbs Island Road

In popular culture

* Professional baseball player Jose Canseco earned the nickname "Parkway Jose" while playing with the Huntsville Stars for his ability to hit home runs over the outfield fence at Joe Davis Stadium.

Intersections

Exit list

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite magazine , magazine=Time , title=National Affairs: Rocket City, U.S.A. , url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862900,00.html , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831094820/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862900,00.html , url-status=dead , archive-date=August 31, 2008 , date=February 17, 1958 , accessdate=March 16, 2010 {{cite news , work=The Tuscaloosa News , agency=Associated Press , title=Businessmen Fighting Highway , page=5A , url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nAMdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QJwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5447,3368573&dq=memorial-parkway+huntsville&hl=en , date=February 20, 1972 , accessdate=March 16, 2010 {{cite news , work=Miami Herald , title=A's Canseco reaches majors with a thump , url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB363989CFC1DE5&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM , date=September 24, 1985 , accessdate=March 16, 2010 {{cite news , work=Gadsden Times , title=Study shows Huntsville to need highway , agency=Associated Press , url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yLIfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c9cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5919,5345067&dq=memorial-parkway+huntsville&hl=en , date=August 28, 1985 , accessdate=March 16, 2010 {{cite news, last=Clines, first=Keith, title=Reader says another turn lane needed on Memorial Parkway service road at Weatherly Road, url=http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/04/reader_says_another_turn_lane.html, accessdate=April 8, 2012, newspaper=The Huntsville Times, date=April 8, 2012 {{cite news , first=Mike , last=Marshall , title=Parkway: Savior or joke? , work=Huntsville Times , date=December 21, 2005 {{cite news , first=Howard , last=Grant , work=The Huntsville Times , title=Redesigning of Parkway is proposed , page=1 , date=August 7, 1964 {{cite news, last=Clines, first=Keith, title=Memorial Parkway overpasses' cost increase significantly over 41 years, url=http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/01/post_512.html, accessdate=January 10, 2012, newspaper=The Huntsville Times, date=January 2, 2011 {{cite news , last=Clines , first=Keith , title=Road projects should outpace traffic growth in the coming decade (Outlook 2011) , url=http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/03/outlook_2011_road_projects_sho.html , accessdate=January 10, 2012 , newspaper=The Huntsville Times , date=March 27, 2011 {{cite map, publisher=Google Maps, url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=34.82930,+-86.57151&daddr=34.57508,+-86.56877&hl=en&sll=34.572362,-86.566558&sspn=0.010336,0.01929&geocode=FfRzEwIdCgbX-g%3BFeiSDwIdvhDX-g&vpsrc=0&mra=ls&t=m&z=11, title=Overview Map of Memorial Parkway, accessdate=January 10, 2012 ALDOT's ''Construction Bulletin''
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019060619/http://aldotapps.dot.state.al.us/ConstructionBulletin/ , date=October 19, 2011 {{cite news , first=Lee , last=Roop , work=The Huntsville Times , title=North Memorial Parkway overpasses will be open on Tuesday , url=http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/04/north_memorial_parkway_overpas.html , date=April 6, 2012 , accessdate=April 7, 2012 {{Cite web , url=https://maps.huntsvilleal.gov/trafficcounts/?id=186 , title=City of Huntsville Traffic Engineering , access-date=September 21, 2019