Bessemer Super Highway: Difference between revisions

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(26 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 6: Line 6:
As the project proceeded, many of the rail lines along the route were elevated on steel and concrete trestles to bridge over the highway. The new highway itself was raised onto a long viaduct, later named the [[Mary Bryant Bridge]], as it crossed over rail yards on the way into Bessemer.
As the project proceeded, many of the rail lines along the route were elevated on steel and concrete trestles to bridge over the highway. The new highway itself was raised onto a long viaduct, later named the [[Mary Bryant Bridge]], as it crossed over rail yards on the way into Bessemer.


Due to the shortage of funds prevailing during the [[Great Depression]], the State set aside plans to build large interchanges that would allow for limited freeway access. Had it been built according to the initial designs, the Bessemer Super Highway would have been distinguished, ahead of the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as the first freeway in the United States. In [[1940]] the highway department did install lighting along the entire route, thus creating what was, at the time, the longest "white way" east of the Rocky Mountains.
Due to the shortage of funds prevailing during the [[Great Depression]], the State set aside plans to build large interchanges that would allow for limited freeway access. Had it been built according to the initial designs, the Bessemer Super Highway would have been distinguished, ahead of the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as the first freeway in the United States.
 
In [[1940]] the highway department did install lighting along the entire route, thus creating what was, at the time, dubbed the longest "white way" east of the Rocky Mountains. The 227 pole lights were installed by the [[Birmingham Electric Company]] over 23 days, including Sundays. The system was turned on at a ceremony at 7:00 PM on [[December 30]] of that year. The project, instigated by the [[Bessemer Junior Chamber of Commerce]] was hailed as "a boon to the national defense program and as a monument to progress of traffic safety engineering in Alabama."


The Super Highway, as it quickly came to be known, spurred the development of new businesses catering to the driving public in the post-[[World War II]] boom. The corridor's economic growth continued nearly unabated until the completion of [[I-59]]/[[I-20|20]].
The Super Highway, as it quickly came to be known, spurred the development of new businesses catering to the driving public in the post-[[World War II]] boom. The corridor's economic growth continued nearly unabated until the completion of [[I-59]]/[[I-20|20]].
Line 13: Line 15:


==Notable locations==
==Notable locations==
===[[Birmingham]]===
===[[Midfield]]===
* [[Aaron Aronov Drive]] (north) / [[B. Y. Williams Drive]] (south) intersection, road continues east as [[Bessemer Road]]
* [[Weibel Drive]]/[[Aaron Aronov Drive]] (north) / [[B. Y. Williams Drive]] (south) intersection, road continues east as [[Bessemer Road]]
** 588: former location of [[Ingels Evinrude]] (1978)
** south side:
** 506: [[Bill Byrd Kia]]
*** 100: [[Egg Roll Express]], former location of [[Golden Skillet]] fried chicken (1975)
** 161: [[Riviera Fitness]]
*** 104: [[Wendy's]] restaurant
** 100: former location of [[Golden Skillet]] fried chicken (1975)
** north side:
*** [[Western Hills Plaza]] shopping center (extends into [[Fairfield]])
**** 101: [[Walgreen's]] / [[Western Union]]
**** 103: [[Henderson's]]
**** 127: [[Riviera Fitness Center]]
**** 133: former location of [[Shakey's Pizza Parlor]] (1977)
**** 137: [[Check 'N Go]] / [[Top Fashion]]
**** 141: [[Shoe Show Mega Store]]
**** 155: [[Hair Show]]
**** 157: [[Citi Trends]]
**** 161: [[Save A Lot]]
**** 165: [[Fred's]]
*** 199: [[Mutual Savings Credit Union]]
 
* [[Brookwood Road East]] / [[Brookwood Road West]] intersects (south only)
** south side:
*** 500: [[Midfield Motor Co.]]
** north side:
*** 401: [[T & M Wholesalers]]
 
* [[Woodward Road]] intersects
** south side:
*** 506: [[Adamson West]], former location of [[Bill Byrd Kia]]
*** 512: former location of [[Angry Revolt]] head shop
*** 544: former location of [[Sound of Birmingham]] recording studio
*** 560: [[King Boyz Towing]] / [[U-Haul]] neighborhood dealer
** north side:
*** 549: [[DriveTime Inspection Center]], former location of [[Midfield Dodge]]
*** 555: [[Auto Professional Car Sales]]


===[[Fairfield]]===
* [[High Ore Line Trail]] crosses (formerly [[High Ore Line]] railroad)
* [[Western Hills Mall]]
** south side:
* 4341: [[Family Dollar]]
*** 580: [[Midfield Paint, Body & Mechanic Shop]]
*** 588: [[Coram Wholesale Used Tires]], former location of [[Ingels Evinrude]] (1978)
*** 630: former location of [[WVOK-AM]] studios (1947-1980s)
** north side:
*** 575: [[Public Storage]]
*** 587: [[Rockett's Car Audio Window]]
*** 589: [[The Avondale West]] event center (2023–), former location of [[JCCEO Energy Assistance Office]] / [[Midfield Senior Nutrition Center]]
*** 591-623: [[Woodfield Square]] shopping center, former location of [[Auto Movies #1]] (built 1948)
**** 591: [[The Game Room]]. former [[Winn-Dixie]] location
**** 601: [[Onyx House of Style]]
**** 605: [[Octapharma Plasma]]
**** 613: [[Fresenius Kidney Care Midfield]]
**** 616: former location of [[Carnaggio's]] restaurant (1960)
**** 623: [[Acceptance Auto Insurance]]


===[[Midfield]]===
* [[Etheridge Drive]] intersects (north only)
* 5323: [[Lavada's Flowers]]
** south side:
* 5400: former location of [[Paulson's Restaurant]] and [[Ma Reatha's]]
*** 650: [[International Auto Wholesalers]]
* [[Bessemer veterans memorial]]
*** 652: [[Phil's Tint & Alarm]]
* [[Woodfield Square]]
*** 654: [[TitleBucks]]
*** 656: [[AutoZone]]
** north side:
*** 631: [[Western Health Center]] (2015-), former location of [[The Vending Center]] (demolished 2012)


===Birmingham ([[Roosevelt]])===
* [[Wilkes Road]] (north) / [[Cairo Avenue]] (south) intersects, numbering from Birmingham ends
* [[Valhalla Cemetery]]
** south side:
* 5229: [[Car Circus]]
*** 5323: [[Lavada's Flowers]]
* 5227: [[Hatcher Law Office]]
*** 5317: [[Valhalla Funeral Home]]
* 5204: [[Angela's Southern Style Restaurant]]
*** 5301: [[Pop-In 'N'-Out]] / [[Citgo]] gas station
* 5201: [[Blue Bird BP]] convenience & package store
*** 5275: [[Lloyd's Auto Sales]]
* 5131: [[Westwood Auto Parts]]
** north side:
* [[Angry Revolt]]
*** 5410: [[Church's Chicken]]
*** 5400: former location of [[Paulson's Restaurant]] and [[Ma Reatha's]]
*** 5320: [[O'Reilly Auto Parts]]
*** 5300: [[Chevron]] gas station / [[Fedcorp]]


===[[Brighton]]===
===[[Brighton]]===
** 4321: [[Holiday Bowl]]
* [[Wilkes Boulevard]] (north) [[Sugar Ray Drive]] (south) intersects
** 4400: [[Holiday Mobile Home Park]]
** south side:
** 4539: [[Ace Motel]]
*** 5228 [sic]: [[Car Circus]] / [[Circus Pawn Shop]]
** 4517: [[RCP Auto Parts]], former location of [[Wigwam Village|Wigwam Village #5]] motor court
*** 5227: [[Hatcher Law Office]]
** 4510 [[Club Grasshopper]]
*** 5205: [[Astro Auto Dismantlers]]
** 4500: [[Exxon]] gas station
*** 5203: [[Blue Bird Tires]]
* [[Valley Creek]] bridge
*** 5201: [[Blue Bird Sunoco]], formerly [[Blue Bird BP]]
*** 5131: former location of [[Westwood Auto Parts]]
*** 5137-5163: [[Smart Bidz]] electronics
** north side:
*** 5233 [sic]: [[Church of God In Christ]] Alabama State Headquarters
*** 5204: [[Bre's Restaurant & Catering]], former location of [[Angela's Southern Style]]
*** 5200: [[Great Start Child Development Center]]
* [[Bessemer Avenue]] (north) / [[Martin Luther Avenue]] (south) intersects
** north side:
*** [[Rose Avenue]], access to [[Bon-Aire Community]]
*** 5170: former location of [[Anthony Underwood Automotive]] (2011-2014)
*** 5000: former location of [[Piggly-Wiggly]], [[Sav U Foods]] (-2012)
** south side (Birmingham's [[Roosevelt]] neighborhood):
*** 4901: [[Intensive Care Beauty Salon]]
*** 4601: [[Birmingham Fire Station No. 11 (2005)]]
*** 4545: [[Fantasyland Restaurant]], former location of [[Whitson's Famous Foods]], [[Fantasyland]] bingo parlor, originally [[Roosevelt]] City Hall
*** 4541: [[El Molcajete]]
*** 4539: [[Ace Motel]]
* end of Birmingham's [[Roosevelt]] neighborhood
** 4510: [[Diamond Club]] (2014-), former location of [[Bama Drive-In]] (built 1966), [[Club Grasshopper]], [[Palace Bingo]]
** 4500: [[My Store]] / [[Exxon]] gas station
** 4517: [[George's Auto Parts]] / [[RCP Auto Parts]], former location of [[Wigwam Village|Wigwam Village #5]] motor court
** 4513: [[Super Highway Auto Sales]]


===[[Bessemer]]===
===[[Bessemer]]===
:''Addresses in Bessemer are generally on [[9th Avenue North]].''
* [[Valley Creek]] passes below
** 3551: [[Uncle Bob's Self Storage]]
** 4422: [[Sublett Portable Buildings]]
** 4006: [[Anthony Underwood Automotive]]
* [[Brewer Drive]] intersects (south only)
** 4201: [[Terrace Oaks Care and Rehabilitation Center]]
** south side:
** 4341: [[Family Dollar]]
*** 4341: [[Family Dollar]]
** [[Auto Movies #1]] (Alabama's first drive-in cinema and the 17th in the US)
*** 4325: [[Boost Mobile]]
** [[Sound of Birmingham]] recording studio
*** 4321: [[Holiday Bowl]] (built 1959 at 4315 Bessemer Super Highway)
** [[Whitson's Famous Foods]]
*** 4319: [[Metro by T-Mobile]]
** 4321: [[Holiday Bowl Fun Center]]
*** 4301: [[Hiway Host Motel]] (originally the first [[Holiday Inn]] in Alabama and the first location of [[Michael's]] steak house)
** 4301: [[Hiway Host Motel]] (originally the first [[Holiday Inn]] in Alabama and the first location of [[Michael's]] steak house)
*** 4201: [[Terrace Oaks Care & Rehabilitation Center]]
 
*** 4105: [[Auto West Bumpers & Grills]]
** 4601: [[Birmingham Fire Station No. 11 (2005)]]
*** 4101: [[Middlebrooks Truck & Equipment]]
** 5000: [[Piggly Wiggly]] supermarket
*** 4005: [[Taqueria Los Diaz]] / [[Los Diaz Tienda Mexicana]], former location of [[Cuernos Chuecos]], [[Carniceria y Taqueria La Vaquita]]
* [[19th Street North Bessemer]] intersection (continues as [[9th Avenue North]])
*** 3829: [[Brothers Fireworks]]
*** 3825: [[World Famous High Roller]] event center
*** 3801: [[Austin Auto Parts]]
*** 3800: former location of [[Marineland]] boat sales (1976)
*** entrance to [[Woodward Estates Mobile Home Park]]
*** 3829: [[Life Storage]]
*** 3345: [[Discount Auto Salvage]]
*** 3321: [[Dollar Tree]]
*** 3333: possible former location of [[Bessemer Lodge No. 509]] of the [[Loyal Order of Moose]] / [[Moose Park]]
** north side:
*** 4412: former location of [[La Plasita]] tienda (2011-2015)
*** 4400: [[Brighton Christian Memorial]] (2015-), former location of [[Brighton Funeral Home Services]] (-2015)
*** 4330: [[Holiday Mobile Home Park]]
*** 4200: [[Inside Out Health, Wellness & Fitness]] ([[Christine Law|Christine]] & [[Allen Law]] 2023–), former location of [[Long-Lewis Ford]], [[Long Lewis Western Star]], [[Long-Lewis Sterling]]
*** 4006: [[Anthony Underwood Automotive]] (2015-)
*** 4000: [[EJ's Sports Bar & Grill]]
*** 3824: former location of [[Lester Mulligan Automotive]]
*** 3551: [[Life Storage]]
*** 3420: [[N & N Uniforms]]
*** 3418: [[La Oaxaquena Lichita|La Oaxaquena Paleteria y Neveria Lichita]]
*** 3410: [[Aligment Tire]]
*** 3404: [[P. A. Tire Shop & Towing]]
*** 3200: [[Holiday Food Store]], former location of [[Holiday Drug Store]]
* [[Birmingham Southern Railroad]] crosses (road continues as [[9th Avenue North Bessemer]])


==References==
==References==
* "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-accidents-expected-t/137777952/ Accidents Expected To Be Cut By Monument To Traffic Safety]." (December 31, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 11
* Holley, Joe (n. d.) "Bessemer Super Highway" Archiblog/AL.com
* Holley, Joe (n. d.) "Bessemer Super Highway" Archiblog/AL.com
* Norris, Toraine (April 27, 2010) "Plans in works to revitalize Bessemer Superhighway area." {{BN}}
* Norris, Toraine (April 27, 2010) "Plans in works to revitalize Bessemer Superhighway area." {{BN}}

Latest revision as of 17:08, 31 December 2023

This article is about the highway, for the hip hop album, see 2Lue.

Bessemer Super Highway (or Bessemer Superhighway, originally the Birmingham-Bessemer Boulevard) is the section of U. S. Highway 11 connecting the cities of Bessemer and Birmingham. Between Border Street and Western Hills Mall, it is called Bessemer Road.

The divided four-lane highway, the first in the state, replaced a circuitous route through West End, Powderly and Lipscomb which was slowed by numerous railroad grade crossings. It was designed in the 1930s by Alabama State Highway Department engineers who used the German Autobahn system as a model. The chosen route followed a nearly straight line from 3rd Avenue West in Fairview, past the Alabama State Fairgrounds at Five Points West to 19th Street North in the heart of downtown Bessemer. It continues through Bessemer as 9th Avenue North.

As the project proceeded, many of the rail lines along the route were elevated on steel and concrete trestles to bridge over the highway. The new highway itself was raised onto a long viaduct, later named the Mary Bryant Bridge, as it crossed over rail yards on the way into Bessemer.

Due to the shortage of funds prevailing during the Great Depression, the State set aside plans to build large interchanges that would allow for limited freeway access. Had it been built according to the initial designs, the Bessemer Super Highway would have been distinguished, ahead of the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as the first freeway in the United States.

In 1940 the highway department did install lighting along the entire route, thus creating what was, at the time, dubbed the longest "white way" east of the Rocky Mountains. The 227 pole lights were installed by the Birmingham Electric Company over 23 days, including Sundays. The system was turned on at a ceremony at 7:00 PM on December 30 of that year. The project, instigated by the Bessemer Junior Chamber of Commerce was hailed as "a boon to the national defense program and as a monument to progress of traffic safety engineering in Alabama."

The Super Highway, as it quickly came to be known, spurred the development of new businesses catering to the driving public in the post-World War II boom. The corridor's economic growth continued nearly unabated until the completion of I-59/20.

In 2010 the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham proposed a revitalization plan for the Super Highway anchored by improved mass transit. The transit corridor would include primary stops at Five Points West, Aaron Aronov Drive/B. Y. Williams Drive, downtown Bessemer, Academy Drive, and Eastern Valley Road. Commercial revitalization would be encouraged at those intersections.

Notable locations

Midfield

Brighton

Bessemer

References

Retrieved from "http://bhamwiki.com/w/index.php?title=Bessemer_Super_Highway&oldid=210536"