Academy Drive

Academy Drive is a 1.5-mile long commercial road connecting Powder Plant Road to 4th Avenue Southwest / Old Tuscaloosa Road in Bessemer. The road connects U.S. Highway 11 at the southwestern end of 9th Avenue Southwest to I-20/59 at exit 108.

Bessemer City High School, the Bessemer Civic Center, UAB Medical West and Lawson State Community College are all located near the Academy Drive exit. Much of the commercial development around Academy Drive was developed by Stan Pate.

Notable addresses (south to north)

• Hickory Road Southwest intersects
  • 690: Tractor Supply Co.
  • 700–726: shipping center
    • 710: Aldi supermarket (2007–)
    • 714: Dollar Tree
    • 718: Cato Fashions
    • 726: Burkes Outlet / Hibbett Sports
  • 730: Pep Boys auto service
  • 732: Sonic Drive-In
  • 736: Shell gas station
  • 740: Burger King
  • 750: Wal-Mart Supercenter
  • 751: St Aloysius Catholic Church
  • 757: Milo's Hamburgers
• Ford Parkway intersects (east only)
  • 760: 59 West shopping center
  • 765: McDonald's
  • 800: Wendy's
  • 804: Zaxby's
  • 808: former location of Ruby Tuesday (closed 2020)
• 9th Avenue Southwest / U.S. Highway 11 intersect (east only)
• I-20/59 interchange
• Academy Way (west) / Premiere Parkway (east) intersect
  • 994: Circle K convenience store
  • 1004: Taco Bell
  • 1021: Church of the Highlands Southwest Campus
  • Powder Plant Road (Jefferson County Road 47) intersects
• road continues as entrance drive to Vulcan Materials Bessemer Quarry