University Drive
{{Short description|Road in Huntsville, Alabama}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox street
|name=University Drive
|image=University Drive Huntsville.jpg
|length_mi=7.1
|length_ref={{cite map|publisher=Google Maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=34.75532,+-86.71431&daddr=34.74015,+-86.59482&hl=en&ll=34.734841,-86.649513&spn=0.082526,0.154324&sll=34.73973,-86.593439&sspn=0.002579,0.004823&geocode=FfhSEgIdOtjU-g%3BFbYXEgId_KrW-g&vpsrc=6&mra=ls&t=m&z=13|title=Overview Map of University Drive|access-date=January 10, 2012}}
|direction_a=East
|terminus_a=Church Street
(continues as Pratt Ave)
|junction=20px Research Park Blvd
20px Jordan Lane
20px20px Memorial Parkway
|direction_b=West
|terminus_b=Jeff Road (continues as 20px US 72)
|location=Huntsville, Alabama
}}
University Drive is a major east–west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama,{{cite map|publisher=Huntsville City|url=http://maps.hsvcity.com/GIS/Default.aspx|title=City of Huntsville Interactive Maps|access-date=January 10, 2012}} following US Route 72 into the city from the west. The highway carries on average approximately 56,000 vehicles a day{{Cite web |url=https://maps.huntsvilleal.gov/trafficcounts/?id=319 |title=City of Huntsville Traffic Engineering |access-date=September 21, 2019}} at {{convert|45|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.
Route Description
From the west, US 72 enters Madison County inside the city limits of Huntsville and runs east eventually running through the north tip of the city of Madison, where it splits Huntsville and Madison's city limits, with Huntsville to the north, Madison to the south.[http://www.huntsvilleal.gov/gis/gis_maps/pdfs/city_limits.pdf Huntsville City Limits] At Jeff Road, the four lane US 72 takes on the name of University Drive and passes to the south of Huntsville Memorial Gardens and over Indian Creek, where it meets Providence Main Street, where it widens to seven lanes.
Continuing east, University Drive passes through multiple shopping centers and car dealerships. University Drive meets Research Park Blvd / Alabama 255 with a six-ramp partial cloverleaf and passes just to the north of MidCity Huntsville, formerly Madison Square Mall. University Drive then passes to the south of Huntsville West Shopping Center. An overpass over Sparkman Drive with on- and off-ramps provides access to the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Following the interchange, the road runs under a pedestrian and bicycle bridge and then meets Alabama 53 / Jordan Lane.
University Drive eventually connects to Memorial Parkway, where US-72 splits off and heads north with US 231/431. Going through the intersection, University Drive narrows to five lanes and intersects Church Street, where it becomes Pratt Ave. Pratt Ave continues east, directly connecting to Five Points and then runs up Monte Sano Mountain.
Major intersections
| class="wikitable" | |
| Road
! Notes | |
|---|---|
| Jeff Road | |
| Providence Main Street | |
| Enterprise Way | Accesses Cummings Research Park |
| 20px Research Park Blvd/Northern Bypass | Limited access highway connecting to 20px Interstate 565 |
| Old Monrovia Road | Accesses MidCity Huntsville, formerly Madison Square Mall |
| Wynn Drive | |
| Sparkman Drive | Accesses University of Alabama in Huntsville |
| 20px Jordan Lane | |
| Pulaski Pike | |
| 20px20px Memorial Parkway | Accesses 20px Interstate 565 US 72 splits off and heads north |
| Church Street | Accesses Downtown Huntsville |
Retail
University Drive is a major commercial thoroughfare through west Huntsville that includes a number of shopping centers, hotels, fast food locations, and other various businesses including two movie theaters, Carmike Huntsville 10 and Madison Square 12.
Shopping Centers:[http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/new_exp/community_data/maps/retail.html Major Retail Stores in Huntsville/Madison County]
- Midcity
- The Fountain
- Northwood Plaza Shopping Center
- Westside Center
Major retail stores include:
Transportation
Access to shuttle buses provided by the city of Huntsville are available along University Drive.{{Cite web |url=http://www.huntsvilleal.gov/PublicTran/public_trans.php |title=City of Huntsville Public Transit |access-date=January 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227074654/http://www.huntsvilleal.gov/PublicTran/public_trans.php |archive-date=December 27, 2011 |url-status=dead }}