Green Springs Highway

Green Springs Highway is a multi-lane road and major north-south route continuing University Boulevard in Birmingham's Glen Iris neigborhood from the north to Columbiana Road in Homewood to the south. In Homewood, Green Springs supplanted Columbiana Road as the major north-south road in the area. For non-local traffic, Green Springs has been supplanted by Interstate 65, which runs just west of it.

The change to Green Springs Highway from University Boulevard begins around 16th Avenue South, just north of Ward Park. The road then runs south past the west side of the park, through Walker Gap in Red Mountain, and across Valley Avenue and Oxmoor Road. The highway ends as Green Springs at Lakeshore Drive/Lakeshore Parkway, continuing as Columbiana Road southward over Shades Mountain into Vestavia Hills. The entire highway is part of Alabama State Highway 149.

From approximately 1/3-mile north of Valley Avenue to Columbiana Road (north of Oxmoor Road), Green Springs Highway is where the Birmingham (east side) and Homewood (west side) city limits meet.

History

There has been a road roughly following the current path of Green Springs Highway since the late 19th century. By the 1910s, it had been upgraded from a dirt road, but was not yet paved. At the time, the portion adjacent to Green Springs Park (now Ward Park) was known as 2nd Place. From historical maps^[1], paving appears to have taken place in the latter half of the 1920s. The road was partially rerouted and improved to a divided highway by 1945.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the Green Springs Highway category.

• 16th Avenue South intersects (highway continues north as University Boulevard)

• Interstate 65 underpass
  • west side:
    • 1820: King Cotton Decorator Fabrics (1993- ), former location of Green Springs Baptist Church (1890-1949+), Georges Bridges studio, Cox Antiques (1985)
    • 1900: U.S. Army Reserve
    • 2000: Med Center BP
    • 2020: World Auto Sales
    • 2024: Volume Restaurant and Bar (Collins Ngure & David Kimani 2023–), former location of Prosch Carpet & Flooring (1970), Irish Deli Pub & Grill (Hal Harris Jr –2017), Zanzibar International Bar & Grill
    • 2032: C Food Mart
  • east side:
    • George Ward Park

• Green Springs Avenue intersects
  • west side:
    • 2104: Automotive Concepts
    • 2112: Tootie's Kwik Stop Foods
    • 2120: Chop Shop, former location of Mama Mia's Spaghettini, Norm's restaurant & pub (1986-1987)
    • 2148: Red Mountain Animal Clinic
    • 2156: Green Springs Chiropractic Center
    • 2160: Blue Print Barbers
    • 2168: Easy Money
    • 2230: Green Springs Baptist Church, Ministry Center at Green Springs
    • 2350: Goodwill
    • 2398: Dee's Package Store
  • east side:
    • 2275: formerly Fraternal Order of Police Birmingham Lodge No. 1

• 24th Avenue South intersects (west only)
  • west side:
    • 2400: Golden Pawn & Jewelry
    • 2408: Golden Pawn & Jewelry (September 2020-), Handy TV Appliance (closed September 2020)
    • 2412: Net Cash
    • 2416: Nexcheck
    • 2424: TitleMax
    • 2426: Face's Barber & Beauy Salon
    • 2428: Happy Nails
    • 2440: Computer America
    • 2444: Quik Pawn Shop

Homewood

• • • 14: Pizza Hut
    • Green Springs Shopping Plaza
      • 20: Framin' Shoppe
      • 22: Asian Food Market / Red Sea Ethiopian & Mediterranean Restaurant / Biryani Bowl
      • 34: former location of Carousel Lounge (1975)
      • 38: TitleBucks
      • 44: Tortas Locas (2018-), former location of George's Lebanese Restaurant
    • Red Mountain Plaza shopping center
      • 48: O'Reilly Auto Parts
      • 60: Perfect Nails
      • 66: BamaCell
      • 68: former location of Renge Japanese restaurant
      • 70: Sneaky Pete's
    • 76: Christ Fellowship Church (2018 - present), former location of Winn Dixie (1983), Salvation Army Thrift Store (closed),
    • 90: City Federal Savings & Loan (1973-)
    • CVS/pharmacy (former site of a Texaco station)
  • east side (Birmingham):
    • USA Economy Lodge (no access from Green Springs)
    • 2651: Green Springs Chevron

• West Valley Avenue/Valley Avenue intersects
  • west side (Homewood):
    • 100: Regions Bank Green Springs branch (built 1971), formerly First National Bank of Birmingham Green Springs branch, later AmSouth Bank Green Springs branch)
    • 102: AutoZone (closed c. 2022)
    • Hillcrest Shopping Center
      • 104: Check Into Cash
      • 104: Z Outlets
      • 106: Long Nails
      • 110: Rent-A-Center, former location of Zayre
      • 112: Sabor Latino Restaurant
        • 112B: former location of Sherman Kao's Mandarin restaurant (1977–)
      • 114: former location of Eckerd's Drugs
      • 116: Radio Shack
      • 124: Office Depot
      • 130: Tuesday Morning
      • 142: Big Lots
      • 150: former location of Darryl's 1871 restaurant (1980s), Original Steakhouse & Sports Theater, Wing Out Music & Sports Theater (closed 2010)
    • 194: Homewood Title Loans
    • 198: BBVA Compass branch
  • east side (Birmingham):
    • 101: Walgreens
    • 103: Homewood Lodge
    • Crestview Apartments (no access from Green Springs)
    • 2757: American Family Care

• Columbiana Road intersects (southeast only)
  • west side:
    • Green Springs Shopping Center, former site of Oak Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church (1885–1967)
      • 210: A1 Nails
      • 214-B: Southpage
      • 216: Mi Pueblo Supermarket, former location of Food World
      • 222: Dollar Tree, former location of Rietta's Fabrics (1969-1970)
      • 232: Bank of America branch (2024–)
      • 234: Harbor Freight (opened March 2018), former location of Fred's , Grants
      • 230: Floor & Decor (opened July 2017) (former site of Kmart, Handy Dan, Handy City, Spats, and Standard Distributors)
    • 248: Blockbuster
    • 250: Green Springs Shell
  • east side:
    • 201: San Miguel Mexican Restaurant, former location of Abner's Beef House (1970), El Palacio (1981)
    • 215: Tire Engineers, former location of Food Town (1969)

• Oxmoor Road intersects
  • west side:
    • 400: Mobil station
    • 410: Paw Paw Patch
    • Oak Grove Presbyterian Church Cemetery
    • 420: former location of Lovoy's Italian Restaurant (1964–2010)
    • 428: Aldi
    • 430: Green Springs Center shopping center
    • 436: Midas
    • 460: Firestone
  • east side:
    • 333: JPMorgan Chase, former location of parking lot
    • 339: Boost Mobile
    • 401–437: Edgewood Town Center shopping center
    • 471: Taipei 101
    • 475: Regions Bank (2006–), formerly Exchange-Security Bank (–1975), First Alabama Bank (1975–1983), AmSouth Bank (1983–2006)
    • 479: Purple Onion

• Carr Avenue intersects
  • west side:
    • 800-816: Green Springs Square shopping center
      • 800: Mission Possible thrift store
      • 804: Pep Boys auto parts
      • 808-816: Ollie's Bargain Outlet, former location of Maxam, Kmart and Mazer's furniture outlet
    • 818: McDonald's
    • 824: U.S. Title Loans (formerly McDonald's)
    • 828: KFC
  • East side:
    • Regency Square, formerly a bowling alley, and Green Springs 6 (1971–1992)
    • 801: Mexi King’s Grill (Felix Cruz et al, 2024–), former location of the Chop Suey Inn, The Baskits (2009-2015), Shrimp Basket (2015-2023)
    • 803: Alfredo's Pizza Cafe
    • 813: former location of Mi Pueblo Supermarket
    • 815–817: The Edge (Homewood) (2023–)
      • 815: former location of Fresh Seafood & Meat Market (2008–2022)
      • 817: former location of Appearance Car Audio (2008–2011), Custom Autoworks (2015–2017) Royal Tobacco Vape Outlet (2018–2022)
    • 819: vacant lot, former location of Captain D's (2008), Meat & Three Cafeteria (2011–2015, demolished c. 2020)
    • 821: People HR (2022–), former location of Kangaroo Express (2008–2019)
    • 833: 833 Green Springs Highway
    • 845: Omega Tire Pros

• Raleigh Avenue intersects:
  • east side:
    • residential
    • Broadway Park Condominiums
  • west side:
    • residential

• Columbiana Road / Broadway Street intersect
  • west side:
    • residential
  • east side:
    • Griffin Brook

• Lakeshore Parkway/Lakeshore Drive intersect (highway continues south as Columbiana Road)