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'''Oporto-Madrid Boulevard''' is an approximately 3⅓-mile, predominantly north-south major thoroughfare on [[Birmingham]]'s east side, traversing the [[East Lake community|East Lake]], [[Roebuck-South East Lake]], and [[Crestline community|Crestline]] communities.  Between [[1st Avenue North]] and about 77th Way South, it is actually the border between the East Lake and Roebuck-South East Lake communities.
'''Oporto-Madrid Boulevard''' is an approximately 3⅓-mile, major north-south thoroughfare on [[Birmingham]]'s east side, traversing the [[East Lake community|East Lake]], [[Roebuck-South East Lake]], and [[Crestline community|Crestline]] communities.  Between [[1st Avenue North]] and about 77th Way South, it is actually the border between the East Lake and Roebuck-South East Lake communities.


Oporto-Madrid Boulevard was originally three separately-named streets.  The northern portion, heading northwest-southeast, was '''77th Street'''.  At 77th Way the road turns north-south and became '''Madrid Avenue''' down to [[Georgia Road]].  '''Oporto Road''' originally met Georgia Road to the east of Madrid and ended at [[Montclair Road]].  In the 1960s, Oporto was rerouted through [[Red Gap]] with a new bridge built over the railroad tracks, connecting it directly to Madrid.  The road was subsequently renamed Oporto-Madrid Boulevard for its entire length.  It was extended the extra tenth of a mile south to [[Montevallo Road]] in the 1970s.
'''Oporto-Madrid Boulevard North''' begins at 75th Street North, near — thanks to efforts to match the names of the streets of the various annexed street grids to the [[Birmingham city center street grid|downtown street grid]] — both 47th Avenue North and [[6th Avenue North]].  It continues southeast, passing under [[Interstate 59]], then crossing [[Division Avenue]] and becoming '''Oporto-Madrid Boulevard South''', to 77th Way where it turns south.  The road then becomes an overpass over [[Red Gap]], also crossing over [[Georgia Road]] and the [[Alabama Great Southern Railroad|Alabama Great Southern]], [[Southern Railway|Southern]], and [[Central of Georgia Railway|Central of Georgia]] railways that go through the gap.  Shortly after resuming being a grade level road, it crosses under [[Interstate 20]] and continues south to intersect [[U.S. Highway 78]] ([[Crestwood Boulevard]]) and [[Montclair Road]].  Oporto-Madrid then officially ends at [[Montevallo Road]], although the route actually continues south a couple more blocks as the residential Redwood Street.


What was later 77th Street was the site of the first homes in the area, erected in the late 1810s.  The settlement later became [[Ruhamah]].
==History==
Oporto-Madrid Boulevard was originally three separately-named streets. The northernmost portion ran near the site of the first pioneer homes in the area dating to the 1810s, a settlement that came to be known as [[Ruhamah]]. The route was incorporated into the [[East Lake|Town of East Lake]] as [[9th Street (East Lake)|9th Street]], and was then renumbered as [[77th Street North]] and [[77th Street South]] after East Lake was annexed into [[Birmingham]] in [[1910]].
 
Where the road changes from northwest-southeast to north-south, at [[77th Way South]], was originally the intersection of 77th and  '''Madrid Avenue''', which has been smoothed into a continuous curve. The remainder of 77th Street South continues from 77th Way toward what is now the [[Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve]] before turning back on itself at [[Toulon Avenue]].
 
Madrid Avenue originally extended from 77th to [[Georgia Road]]. A small portion of the original Madrid still runs for two blocks between [[65th Street South]] and Georgia Road.
 
For over half of the 20th century, to cross the three railways in [[Red Gap]], traffic had to use a wooden bridge on [[Jefferson Avenue]], which intersected Georgia Road about 1,000 feet east of Madrid and proceeded south to [[Oxmoor-Irondale Road]] (now [[Montevallo Road]]). Part of that route is now [[Lawson Field Road]] which connects Oporto-Madrid to [[Lawson Field]]. Just south of the Red Gap, Jefferson Avenue was paralleled for a few blocks by '''Porter Avenue'''.  Sometime between the mid-1940s and early 1950s, the two roads were renamed as [[Naples Avenue]] and '''Oporto Avenue''' to match the two roads east of Madrid on the north side of Red Gap.
 
During this same period, the road south to Montevallo Road was rerouted to feed in to Porter/Oporto instead of Jefferson/Naples.  Likewise, Naples was slightly rerouted near Red Gap to make it easier for traffic to access Oporto.  The surrounding roads were removed by the mid-1950s, leaving only Oporto Avenue south of Red Gap. Some maps list it as '''Oporto Road'''. The original [[Oporto Avenue]] north of Red Gap remains as a two-block residential street.
 
The southern end of Jefferson/Porter/Oporto Avenue where it met Montclair and Montevallo Roads also shifted over time. In the mid-20th century, it came down to Montclair, then jogged over eastward to connect to Montevallo  at [[Shades Avenue]]. This small section between Montclair and Montevallo is now named '''Oporto Way'''.
 
A [[1961]] traffic study showed traffic through the route peaked at over 300 cars per hour. In [[1962]], work was completed widening Oporto to four lanes from Montevallo Road to the [[Crestwood Boulevard|Atlanta Highway]].  As this project was wound up, a new overpass connecting Oporto and Madrid was designated as the top priority of all overpass projects in the city.  The new overpass would span the rail lines and also Georgia Road.  The original proposal included a ramp connecting Georgia with the overpass near where the two roads crossed, but this ramp was ultimately not built. Planning and construction of the overpass was supported with funds from highway construction bonds issued by the city in April 1963 and a federal Accelerated Public Works Program grant awarded to the city in August of the same year.
 
The contract for the overpass was awarded to [[Harbert Construction]] for $830,000. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the overpass took place on Friday, [[January 24]], [[1964]], although actual work had been required to start the week before due to federal deadlines.  Mayor [[Albert Boutwell]], city council president [[M. E. Wiggins]], city councilman [[Alan Drennen]], executive secretary [[Bill Hamilton]], and contractor [[John Harbert]] participated.
 
Within a few years, Oporto was rerouted with a new bridge built over the railroad tracks, connecting it directly to a rerouted Madrid.  The remaining section of Oporto Avenue's original route south of Red Gap was renamed [[Lawson Field]] Road and the wooden bridge demolished.  The rest of this southern Oporto Avenue's route was incorporated into the renamed Oporto-Madrid Boulevard (which also included the former 77th Street) during redevelopment projects that included [[Eastwood Mall]], [[Century Plaza]], and I-20.


== Notable locations ==
== Notable locations ==
Line 10: Line 27:


=== [[East Lake community]] ===
=== [[East Lake community]] ===
* 75th Street North intersection (road continues north briefly as [[7th Avenue North]] before turning west at 47th Avenue)
* [[75th Street North]] intersection (road continues north briefly as [[7th Avenue North]] before turning west at 47th Avenue)
 
* [[6th Avenue North]] intersection
* [[6th Avenue North]] intersection
** 514: [[Kyss 2 Makeup Studio & Spa]], former location of [[Still Stand'n Barber & Beauty]]
** 501: [[OK Tire Center]]
** 500: [[Magic City Stop'N'Go]], former location of [[Modern Market Jr]], [[Birmingham Dining Southern Cuisine]] (2013-2015)
* [[5th Avenue North]] intersection
* [[5th Avenue North]] intersection
** 420: [[Modern Market, Jr]]
** 420: [[H & B Automotive]]
** 421: [[Texaco Super Deli]]
** 421-423: [[East Lake Superette]] (2012-), former location of [[Qwik Mart]], [[Texaco Super Deli]] (1990-2012)
* [[4th Avenue North]]/I-59 on-ramp intersection
* [[4th Avenue North]]/I-59 on-ramp intersection
* [[3rd Avenue North]] formerly intersected
** west side:
*** 302: former location of [[Little Country Church]] (1938)
* [[Interstate 59]] partial interchange (Exit 131)
* [[Interstate 59]] partial interchange (Exit 131)
** west side:
*** 216: [[NPMHU Local 317|National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local No. 317]]
*** 200: [[Perfect Place Christian Academy]]
** east side:
*** 217: former location of [[Good Shepherd Episcopal Church|Good Shepherd Episcopal Mission Church]] (1921, 1965), [[Fun-N-Learn PreSchool]] (1971), [[Antique Mall East]] (1990, 2000)
*** 215: former location of [[Albion Green]] (1938)
*** 205: former location of [[George Merrill]] (1938)
*** 201–203: [[Life Changing Worship Center]] (-2023-), former location of [[Millwright & Machinery Erectors Local No. 1192]] (–2021)
**** 201: former location of [[Thomas L. Smith]] / [[Clement Smith]] / [[Josiah Bancroft]] physicians (1938)
* [[2nd Avenue North]] intersection
* [[2nd Avenue North]] intersection
** west side:
*** 124: former location of [[Ellard's Variety Store]]
*** 112: former location of [[East Lake Post Office]] (1940s-1950s)
*** 110: former location of [[W. B. Jones Shoe Shop]] (1949)
** east side:
*** 131: former location of Mrs [[Mamie Newman]] / Rev. [[Clyde Harless]] (1938)
*** 127: former location of [[Grover Burke]] (1938)
*** 105: former location of [[Dickerson's Grocery]] (1938)
*** 103: former location of [[Thomas Putman]] & [[James Smith]] second-hand furniture / [[Arthur Cromwell]] radio repair (1938)


=== East Lake/[[Roebuck-South East Lake]] ===
=== East Lake/[[Roebuck-South East Lake]] ===
* [[1st Avenue North]] intersection
* [[1st Avenue North]] intersects
* [[Division Avenue]] intersection
** west side
** 5: [[East Lake Library]]
*** 26: former location of [[Piggly-Wiggly]] grocery store (1938)
** West side: [[Barrett Elementary School]]
*** 24: former location of [[College Theatre]] (1938)
*** 22: former location of [[Gertrude's Beauty Shop]] (1938)
**** 22½: former location of [[East Lake Masonic Temple]] / [[East Lake Lodge No. 480]] / [[East Lake Temple Lodge No. 842]] / [[East Lake Lodge No. 582]] / [[David S. Harden]] dentist (1938)
*** 16: former location of [[Jake Rose Cleaners]] (1930-1938) / [[Shoe Service Shop]] (1938)
**** 16½: former location of [[Jacob Rose]] (1938)
*** 14: former location of [[James A. Nash]] barber shop (1938)
**** 14A: former location of [[I. O. Bates]] restauratn (1938)
*** 12: former location of [[Marion Barron]] shoe repairs (1938)
*** 8-10: former location of [[O. D. Ellard Variety Store]] (1938)
**** 8: former location of [[Lucky's Hardware & Variety]] (1949)
** 6: former location of [[Gilmore Department Store]] (1938), [[77th Street Hardware Co.]] (1949)
*** 4: former location of [[John H. Roper]] grocery store (1938)
*** 2: former location of [[East Lake Station]] post office (1938)
** east side:
*** 27: former location of [[Quality Cafe]] (1938), [[Sully's Restaurant]] (1949)
*** 23: former location of [[William O. Henry]] shoe repair / [[Roy Harticin]] barber shop (1938)
*** 21: former location of [[Reliable Furniture Co.]] (1938)
*** 17-19: former location of [[Rose Cleaners & Shoe Repairing]] (1949)
**** 17: former location of [[Marvel Five Ten to One Dollar Store]] (1938), [[Long's Electronics]] (early 1980s) and [[Stereo Warehouse]] (1983)
*** 13: former location of [[Tillery Dry Cleaners]] (1938), [[Caver Jewelry Co.]] (1949)
*** 11: [[Strozier Construction]], former location of [[Finch Realty Co.]] (1938)
*** 9: [[Free Christian Assembly]] (1953)
 
* [[Division Avenue]] intersects
** west side:
*** 2: [[Barrett Elementary School]] (built 1938)
** east side:
*** 1: former location of [[Woodmen of the World Hall]] / [[Poplar Camp No. 118]] / [[Clarence Lovell]] watch repairs / [[Robert Thomason]] bicycles / [[John W. Campbell]] (1938)
*** 5-7: [[East Lake Library]]
*** 27: former location of [[Raymond McPhaul]] (1938)
 
* [[1st Avenue South]] intersection
* [[1st Avenue South]] intersection
** west side:
*** 100: [[Agape Missionary Baptist Church]], former location of [[77th Street Church of Christ]] (1948- )
*** 118: former location of [[Consumers Co-Operative Grocery]] (1938)
*** 120: former location of [[James Marsh]] furniture store (1938)
** east side:
*** 103: former location of [[Bettie Atkins]] restaurant (1928)
*** 125: [[Chevron]] gas station
* [[2nd Avenue South]] intersection
* [[2nd Avenue South]] intersection
** East side: Former site of [[Samford University|Howard College]]
** west side:  
*** 200:
** east side: former location of [[Samford University|Howard College]]
*** 201: [[Oporto Madrid Tires]]
*** 217: former location of [[Egg-A-Day]] (1981)
 
* [[3rd Avenue South]] intersection
* [[3rd Avenue South]] intersection
** East side: Former site of Howard College
** west side:
*** 316: [[Westridge Apartments West]]
** east side: former location of [[Samford University|Howard College]]
*** 301: [[Joe and Deb's Wings, Rings & Things]]
*** 313: [[Oporto Food Mart]] & gas station
 
* [[4th Avenue South]] intersection
* [[4th Avenue South]] intersection
** west side:
** east side:
*** 401-409: [[Westridge Apartments East]]
* [[5th Avenue South]] intersection
* [[5th Avenue South]] intersection
* [[Rugby Avenue]] intersection (east only)
* [[Rugby Avenue]] intersection (east only)


=== East Lake community ===
=== East Lake community ===
* 77th Way South intersection (east only)
* 77th Way South intersects (east only)
** [[Central Highlands]] subdivision
** [[Central Highlands]] subdivision
* 73rd Street South intersection
* 76th Street South intersects
* Higdon Road intersection (west only)
** 7525: [[The Child Nurturing & Development Center]], former location of [[East Lake School]]
** East side: [[Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve]]
* 74th Street South intersects
* Bridge
* 73rd Street South intersects
* Passes over [[Georgia Road]]
* 72nd Street South intersects
* Higdon Road intersects (west only)
** 7128: [[TAKE Resource Center]], former location of [[Hands On Learning & Development Center]] (2012–2021)
** east side: [[Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve]]
* bridge
* boulevard passes over [[Georgia Road]]


=== [[Crestline community]] ===
=== [[Crestline community]] ===
** 5800: former location of [[Charlie Mac's Late Nite]] (2000–2002), [[Spud's]]
** 5804: [[Yellow Cab]]
* Bridge
* Bridge
** 5601: [[Oporto National Guard Armory]]
** 5601: [[Oporto National Guard Armory]]
* [[Sunrise Pointe Apartments|Sunrise Drive]] intersection (west only)
 
** East side:
* [[Sunrise Pointe Apartments|Sunrise Drive]] intersects (west only)
*** 5600: [[Anaheim Auto Auction]] (formerly [[Edwards Chevrolet|Edwards Chevrolet East]])
** east side:
** West side: [[Lawson Field]]
*** 5600: [[Warden Capital Storage]],formerly [[Edwards Chevrolet|Edwards Chevrolet East]], [[Anaheim Auto Auction]]
* Lawson Field Road intersection (north only)
** west side: [[Lawson Field]]
 
* Lawson Field Road intersects (north only)
* [[Interstate 20]] partial interchange (Exit 132A)
* [[Interstate 20]] partial interchange (Exit 132A)
** [[Century Plaza]]
** [[Eastwood Amazon Distribution Center]] (built 2021), former location of [[Century Plaza]] (built 1975, closed 2009, demolished 2020)
* [[Ludington Lane]] intersection (east only)
 
* [[Ludington Lane]] intersects (east only)
** [[Century Park East]]
** [[Century Park East]]
* [[Crestwood Boulevard]] intersection
 
** East side
* [[Crestwood Boulevard]] intersects
*** [[Olive Garden]]
** east side
*** [[Baha California Cantina and Grill]] (2023), former location of [[Olive Garden]]
*** 5389: former site of [[BTNB Eastwood branch]], later SouthTrust and Wachovia
*** 5389: former site of [[BTNB Eastwood branch]], later SouthTrust and Wachovia
*** [[Eastwood Village]] (former site of [[Eastwood Mall]])
*** [[Eastwood Village]] (former site of [[Eastwood Mall]])
*** [[Walgreens]]
*** [[Walgreens]]
** West side
** west side
*** [[Village East]]
*** [[Village East]]
**** 5360: [[M. A. D. Skillz]]
**** 5360: [[M. A. D. Skillz]]
**** 5338: former location of [[Robert Turner Optical]]
**** 5338: former location of [[Robert Turner Optical]]
* [[Montclair Road]] intersection
 
* [[Montclair Road]] intersects
** 5101: [[Express Oil Change]] shop #3
** 5101: [[Express Oil Change]] shop #3
* [[Montevallo Road]] intersection (road continues south as Redwood Street)
** 6725: former location of [[Little Rock CME Church]] (1971)
 
* [[Montevallo Road]] intersects (road continues south as [[Redwood Street]])
 
== References ==
* Isaacson, Lou (August 22, 1962)  "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4017coll2/id/219 Proposed overpass will be vital link with Mall]." {{BN}} - via {{BPLDC}}
* Bennett, James (August 17, 1963) "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/BPLSB02/id/3376 New $1,638,000 Grant Assures City Projects]" {{BN}} - via {{BPLDC}}
* "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/BPLSB02/id/3575 Opporto Job Ready to get underway]" (January 6, 1964) {{BN}} - via {{BPLDC}}
* "[http://cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/BPLSB02/id/3216 Overpass Work Formally Begins]" (January 25, 1964) {{BPH}} - via {{BPLDC}}


[[Category:Oporto-Madrid Boulevard|*]]
[[Category:Oporto-Madrid Boulevard|*]]

Revision as of 06:08, 9 April 2024

Oporto-Madrid Boulevard is an approximately 3⅓-mile, major north-south thoroughfare on Birmingham's east side, traversing the East Lake, Roebuck-South East Lake, and Crestline communities. Between 1st Avenue North and about 77th Way South, it is actually the border between the East Lake and Roebuck-South East Lake communities.

Oporto-Madrid Boulevard North begins at 75th Street North, near — thanks to efforts to match the names of the streets of the various annexed street grids to the downtown street grid — both 47th Avenue North and 6th Avenue North. It continues southeast, passing under Interstate 59, then crossing Division Avenue and becoming Oporto-Madrid Boulevard South, to 77th Way where it turns south. The road then becomes an overpass over Red Gap, also crossing over Georgia Road and the Alabama Great Southern, Southern, and Central of Georgia railways that go through the gap. Shortly after resuming being a grade level road, it crosses under Interstate 20 and continues south to intersect U.S. Highway 78 (Crestwood Boulevard) and Montclair Road. Oporto-Madrid then officially ends at Montevallo Road, although the route actually continues south a couple more blocks as the residential Redwood Street.

History

Oporto-Madrid Boulevard was originally three separately-named streets. The northernmost portion ran near the site of the first pioneer homes in the area dating to the 1810s, a settlement that came to be known as Ruhamah. The route was incorporated into the Town of East Lake as 9th Street, and was then renumbered as 77th Street North and 77th Street South after East Lake was annexed into Birmingham in 1910.

Where the road changes from northwest-southeast to north-south, at 77th Way South, was originally the intersection of 77th and Madrid Avenue, which has been smoothed into a continuous curve. The remainder of 77th Street South continues from 77th Way toward what is now the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve before turning back on itself at Toulon Avenue.

Madrid Avenue originally extended from 77th to Georgia Road. A small portion of the original Madrid still runs for two blocks between 65th Street South and Georgia Road.

For over half of the 20th century, to cross the three railways in Red Gap, traffic had to use a wooden bridge on Jefferson Avenue, which intersected Georgia Road about 1,000 feet east of Madrid and proceeded south to Oxmoor-Irondale Road (now Montevallo Road). Part of that route is now Lawson Field Road which connects Oporto-Madrid to Lawson Field. Just south of the Red Gap, Jefferson Avenue was paralleled for a few blocks by Porter Avenue. Sometime between the mid-1940s and early 1950s, the two roads were renamed as Naples Avenue and Oporto Avenue to match the two roads east of Madrid on the north side of Red Gap.

During this same period, the road south to Montevallo Road was rerouted to feed in to Porter/Oporto instead of Jefferson/Naples. Likewise, Naples was slightly rerouted near Red Gap to make it easier for traffic to access Oporto. The surrounding roads were removed by the mid-1950s, leaving only Oporto Avenue south of Red Gap. Some maps list it as Oporto Road. The original Oporto Avenue north of Red Gap remains as a two-block residential street.

The southern end of Jefferson/Porter/Oporto Avenue where it met Montclair and Montevallo Roads also shifted over time. In the mid-20th century, it came down to Montclair, then jogged over eastward to connect to Montevallo at Shades Avenue. This small section between Montclair and Montevallo is now named Oporto Way.

A 1961 traffic study showed traffic through the route peaked at over 300 cars per hour. In 1962, work was completed widening Oporto to four lanes from Montevallo Road to the Atlanta Highway. As this project was wound up, a new overpass connecting Oporto and Madrid was designated as the top priority of all overpass projects in the city. The new overpass would span the rail lines and also Georgia Road. The original proposal included a ramp connecting Georgia with the overpass near where the two roads crossed, but this ramp was ultimately not built. Planning and construction of the overpass was supported with funds from highway construction bonds issued by the city in April 1963 and a federal Accelerated Public Works Program grant awarded to the city in August of the same year.

The contract for the overpass was awarded to Harbert Construction for $830,000. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the overpass took place on Friday, January 24, 1964, although actual work had been required to start the week before due to federal deadlines. Mayor Albert Boutwell, city council president M. E. Wiggins, city councilman Alan Drennen, executive secretary Bill Hamilton, and contractor John Harbert participated.

Within a few years, Oporto was rerouted with a new bridge built over the railroad tracks, connecting it directly to a rerouted Madrid. The remaining section of Oporto Avenue's original route south of Red Gap was renamed Lawson Field Road and the wooden bridge demolished. The rest of this southern Oporto Avenue's route was incorporated into the renamed Oporto-Madrid Boulevard (which also included the former 77th Street) during redevelopment projects that included Eastwood Mall, Century Plaza, and I-20.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the Oporto-Madrid Boulevard category.
For clarity, not all intersections are included. Odd numbers are on the east side, even on the west.

East Lake community

East Lake/Roebuck-South East Lake

East Lake community

Crestline community

References

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