Messer Airport Highway

Glenn E. Messer Airport Highway (formerly Airport Highway) is an east-west street serving as an extension of 5th Avenue North from downtown Birmingham to the Birmingham International Airport. It was named in honor of aviation pioneer Glenn E. Messer.

The city's maps show Messer Airport Highway extending all the way to the underpass at the former Birmingham Terminal Station, below 26th Street North and the Red Mountain Expressway. Some other maps suggest that 5th Avenue becomes Messer Airport Highway as it crosses 31st Street North. Addressing in the largely industrial zone between 26th and 31st streets is inconsistent.

The easternmost section forms a loop around the parking garages at the Birmingham International Airport. Messer Airport Highway is a two-way street for its entire length, the majority of which is four to five lanes wide.

Between 42nd Street and 44th Street, Messer Airport Highway is separated from 1st Avenue North by only a narrow, landscaped median. 1st Avenue is not accessible from Messer Airport Highway at this point, the closest links being 41st Street and 45th Place North. Two gas stations at either end of the narrow median use concrete barriers to prevent motorists from cutting through.

Messer Airport Highway is accessible from and to Interstate 20 and Interstate 59 at exit 129 in both directions.

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the Messer Airport Highway category.

• street emerges from 5th Avenue North underpass as continuation of 5th Avenue North
• 27th Street North intersects
  • 2711–2729: R. E. Michel Company
    • 2729: former location of Clear Springs Baptist Church (1941)
• 28th Street North intersects
  • 2801: Construction Materials Inc.
  • 2828: S & S Tire, former location of Leonard Jemison restaurant (1941)
• 29th Street North intersects (south only)
  • 2900-2930: proposed site for Project Car Yard, former location of Johnny Spradlin Auto Parts (–2020)
  • 2901: Floors Inc.
• 30th Street North intersects(north only)
  • 3000–3030: Saab Tire & Automotive, former location of Acme Oil Co. (1926), Southport Petroleum Co. filling station (1941)
    • 3018: former location of Steering Wheel Cafe (Fonzi Joe Wardy 1958)
  • 3001: former location of A. & A. Auto Parts wreckers (1941)
  • 3005: Solideal Tire
  • 3021: Airgas Medical Fill Plant
• 31st Street North intersects
  • 3101: US AutoLogistics
  • 3217: Gulf Distributing Company of Birmingham
  • 3230: Mingledorff's, Bermco Aluminum, Radiators Inc., TireHub
  • 3270: Supreme Beverage Co.
• 33rd Street North intersects
  • 3301: Turner Supply, former location of New Hope Baptist Church (c. 1899-1912)
  • 3315: former location of Gus Campisi grocery (1941)
  • 3317: Thompson Cat Rental Store, former location of Acme Oil Co. filling station (1941)
  • 3325: former location of Nygren's Cabinet Shop (1941)
  • 3327: former location of Barnett Lumber & Supply (1941)
  • 3408: Joiner Fire Sprinkler
  • 3417: former location of Arkansas Fuel Oil Co. (1941)
  • 3419: former location of C. F. Hewett Oil Co. (1941)
  • 3420: Hickman Williams & Company
  • 3421: former location of Cities Service filling station (1941)
  • 3425: AAA Plastic Products
• Brook Street (south) / 35th Street North (north) intersect
  • 3500-3628: Airport Highway Park industrial park
    • 3500: Fuller Supply Co., former location of Nelson Transfer Co. (1941)
  • 3501: former location of General Salvage & Supply Co. wreckers (1941)
  • 3531: former location of Barnett Lumber Co. (1926)
• 4th Terrace North intersects (south only)
  • 3605: former location of Log Cabin Cafe (R. C. Bland 1960)
  • 3608: Bagby Elevator Company
  • 3609: former location of Inca Metal Products office (1941)
  • 3629: former location of Alvin Fixture Co. store fixtures (1941)
  • 3631: former location of William Sabatini restaurant (1941)
  • 3650: Corona Group
• 37th Street North intersects
  • 3704: Master Safety Supply
  • 3710: former location of Birmingham Tin Shop (1941)
  • 3728: Front End Alignment Center
  • 3729: Lube Supplies & Service
  • 3735: Magic City Harvest
• 38th Street North intersects
  • 3801: Direct Scaffold Services, former location of Samuel Washburn grocery (1941)
  • 3824: former location of Lon Haynes Auto Wrecking Co. (1941)
  • 3828: Mystik Save More & Deli
  • 3831: former location of William Britt fruit stand (1941)
• 39th Street North intersects
  • 3901: Dunn Investment Co., former location of James E. Tubb coal dealer (1941)
  • 3905: Dunn Construction
  • 3929: former location of Elkins Radio Service (1941)

• 40th Street North intersects (north only)
  • north side:
    • 4010: former location of Abraham Mizerany dry goods (1941)
    • 4012: Shell gas station, former location of Hill Grocery Co. (1941)
    • 4020: Popeye's restaurant
    • 4022: former location of Avondale Theatre (1941)
    • 4028: former location of George Pharo grocery (1941)
    • 4030: former location of Howard Odorless Cleaners (1941)
    • 4032: former location of C. Kerzie barber shop (1941)
    • 4034: former location of Vance's Drug Store (1941)
  • south side:
    • 4001: former location of Avondale Mattress Co. manufacturer (1941)
    • 4011: former location of George Gray filling station (1941)
    • 4013: proposed location of Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria, former location of Burger King

• 41st Street North intersects
  • 4100-4110: 1-story commercial building
    • 4100: Avondale Food Mart (2008–)
    • 4102: Sister to Sister African Hair Braiding (2008–), former location of Mary's Grill (Mary Roberts 1960)
    • 4104: Top Flight Barber & Style Shop (2008–)
    • 4106: ZJ Tax Service (2018–)
    • 4108: Class-A-Grill (2008–)
    • 4110: Eastside Lounge, former location of Boudrow Plastering & Waterproofing Co. (1949)
  • 4120: Aww Shucks (Phillip & Avrie Powell 2022–) / Drumz N Flatz, former location of Brothers Food Mart (2008), Avondale Mini Mart / Avondale Grocery & Deli / Avondale Discount Meat / Metro by T-Mobile (2009–2021)
• road parallels 1st Avenue North (no access)
  • 4210: former location of Triumph Church of God in Christ (1941)
  • 4252: Tom Brown Village
• 43rd Street North intersects (north only)
  • 4300: North Avondale Library
  • 4304: Hayes K-8 School, former location of Hayes High School
• road diverges from 1st Avenue North
• 45th Place North intersects (south only)
• 7th Avenue North intersects (north only)
• 46th Street North intersects (north only)
• 47th Street North intersects
  • 4744-4750: Doers of the Word Ministries, former location of West Woodlawn Methodist Church (-1986)
• 48th Street North intersects
• 49th Street North intersects (south only)
  • 4917: Woodlawn Mart
  • 4921: Sammy's Sandwich Shop
• 50th Street North intersects (south only)
  • 4924–4980: Church of the Highlands Woodlawn Campus
    • 4924–4932: former location of Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council / Southeastern Carpenters Training Trust
    • 4980: Gibson Elementary School (built 1926, demolished 2021)
• 50th Street North (north) / Georgia Road (south) intersects
  • 5101: America's Best Inn (originally the Birmingham Airport Motel, later the Airport Inn Motel)
  • 5113: Hardee's
• Richard Arrington Jr Boulevard North intersects
• I-59/20 interchange
  • 5201: Gateway, former location of Rushton School
  • 5216: Ramada by Wyndham Birmingham Airport, formerly the Four Points by Sheraton-Airport and Clarion Hotel and Conference Center
  • 5224: SafeKey Parking
• 15th Avenue North intersects (west only)
  • access to La Quemada residential area
  • 5229: Civil Engineering Associates
• 17th Avenue North intersects (west only)
  • access to La Quemada residential area
  • 5333: Alabama Car Rental
• 16th Avenue North intersects (east only)
• 17th Avenue North intersects (east only)
• Woodlawn Road intersects (east only)
  • Forest Hill Cemetery
  • 5335: Birmingham Air Freight
  • 5344: Budget Car Rental
• Aviation Avenue intersects
  • Greenwood Cemetery
• University Avenue intersects
  • 5701: former location of Aeromarine
• 37th Avenue North (east) / Tower View Drive (west) intersect
  • 5900: Birmingham International Airport