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'''Messer Airport Highway''' is an east-west street serving as a connection between downtown [[Birmingham]] and the [[Birmingham International Airport]]. The westernmost section by that name ends at [[28th Street North]], although the road continues further west as [[5th Avenue North]]. 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.
'''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]].


Between [[42nd Street North|42nd Street]] and [[44th Street North|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 North|41st Street]] and 45th Place North.
The city's maps show Messer Airport Highway extending all the way to the [[5th Avenue North underpass|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.  


In addition, the Messer Airport Highway is fully accessible from and to [[Interstate 20]] and [[Interstate 59]] at exit 129 in both the northeasterly and southwesterly directions.
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 North|42nd Street]] and [[44th Street North|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 North|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.
 
Between [[31st Street North]] and [[33rd Street North]], an underpass under the [[CSX]] railway line has suffered intermittent flooding problems for decades. Around the end of [[2023]], the flooding became persistent, and especially deep following rainstorms, requiring the rescue of people whose vehicles stalled while attempting to negotiate the floodwaters. Consequently the City of Birmingham installed Jersey barriers at both ends of the flooded section to block vehicular traffic, and that section of the highway remains closed as of February 2024.


==Notable locations==
==Notable locations==
''For an alphabetical list of locations, see the [[:Category:Messer Airport Highway|Messer Airport Highway category]].
''For an alphabetical list of locations, see the [[:Category:Messer Airport Highway|Messer Airport Highway category]].


* 2924: [[Johnny Spradlin Auto Parts]]
* street emerges from [[5th Avenue North underpass]] as continuation of [[5th Avenue North]]
* 4252: [[Tom Brown Village]]
* [[27th Street North]] intersects
* 4980: [[J.B. Gibson Elementary School]]
** 2711–2729: [[R. E. Michel Company]]
* 5101: [[Airport Inn Motel]]
*** 2729: former location of [[Clear Springs Baptist Church]] (1941)
* 5216: [[Four Points by Sheraton-Airport]]
* [[28th Street North]] intersects
* 5229: [[Civil Engineering Associates]]  
** 2801: [[Construction Materials Inc.]]
* 5335: [[Birmingham Air Freight]]
** 2828: [[S & S Tire]], former location of [[Leonard Jemison]] restaurant (1941)
* 5900: [[Birmingham International Airport]]
* [[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 Powell|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)
** 4917–4925: [[Woodlawn Shopping Center]]
* [[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]]/[[I-20|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|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]]


==References==
* Reed, Jon (April 16, 2015) [https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2015/04/flooded_roads_in_birmingham_ar.html "Flooded roads in Birmingham are too much for some drivers to handle."] {{AL}}
* [https://www.wbrc.com/video/2023/09/12/messer-airport-highway-water-rescue/|"Messer Airport Highway Water Rescue."] (September 12, 2023) WBRC.com


[[Category: Messer Airport Highway|*]]
[[Category: Messer Airport Highway|*]]

Latest revision as of 11:20, 22 February 2024

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.

Between 31st Street North and 33rd Street North, an underpass under the CSX railway line has suffered intermittent flooding problems for decades. Around the end of 2023, the flooding became persistent, and especially deep following rainstorms, requiring the rescue of people whose vehicles stalled while attempting to negotiate the floodwaters. Consequently the City of Birmingham installed Jersey barriers at both ends of the flooded section to block vehicular traffic, and that section of the highway remains closed as of February 2024.

Notable locations

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

References