Oporto-Madrid Boulevard
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 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, which passes through Red Gap. The southern portion, Oporto Road, originally met Georgia Road to the east of Madrid by means of a wooden bridge spanning the Alabama Great Southern, Southern, and Central of Georgia railroad tracks. It extended down to Montevallo Road.
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.
Within a few years, Oporto was rerouted 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. A short section of the original Madrid Avenue was left between 65th Street South and Georgia Road. The remaining section of Oporto Road's original route was renamed Lawson Field Road and the wooden bridge demolished.
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.
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
- 75th Street North intersection (road continues north briefly as 7th Avenue North before turning west at 47th Avenue)
- 6th Avenue North intersection
- 5th Avenue North intersection
- 420: Modern Market, Jr
- 421: Texaco Super Deli
- 4th Avenue North/I-59 on-ramp intersection
- Interstate 59 partial interchange (Exit 131)
- 2nd Avenue North intersection
East Lake/Roebuck-South East Lake
- 1st Avenue North intersection
- Division Avenue intersection
- 5: East Lake Library
- West side: Barrett Elementary School
- 1st Avenue South intersection
- 2nd Avenue South intersection
- East side: Former site of Howard College
- 3rd Avenue South intersection
- East side: Former site of Howard College
- 4th Avenue South intersection
- 5th Avenue South intersection
- Rugby Avenue intersection (east only)
East Lake community
- 77th Way South intersection (east only)
- Central Highlands subdivision
- 73rd Street South intersection
- Higdon Road intersection (west only)
- East side: Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
- Bridge
- Passes over Georgia Road
Crestline community
- Bridge
- Sunrise Drive intersection (west only)
- East side:
- 5600: Anaheim Auto Auction (formerly Edwards Chevrolet East)
- West side: Lawson Field
- East side:
- Lawson Field Road intersection (north only)
- Interstate 20 partial interchange (Exit 132A)
- Ludington Lane intersection (east only)
- Crestwood Boulevard intersection
- East side
- Olive Garden
- 5389: former site of BTNB Eastwood branch, later SouthTrust and Wachovia
- Eastwood Village (former site of Eastwood Mall)
- Walgreens
- West side
- Village East
- 5360: M. A. D. Skillz
- 5338: former location of Robert Turner Optical
- Village East
- East side
- Montclair Road intersection
- 5101: Express Oil Change shop #3
- Montevallo Road intersection (road continues south as Redwood Street)
References
- Isaacson, Lou. (August 22, 1962). "Proposed overpass will be vital link with Mall." The Birmingham News.