Cecil Ashburn Drive
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2014) |
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| Length | 3.6 mi (5.8 km)[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Huntsville, Alabama |
| East end | Old Big Cove Road continues as Sutton Road |
| West end | Carl T. Jones Drive / Bailey Cove Road continues as Four Mile Post Road |
Cecil Ashburn Drive is a major road in South Huntsville that carries nearly 20,000 vehicles[2] across Huntsville Mountain in and out of the city from neighboring subdivisions. The scenic mountain route is only two lanes wide with wide shoulders to allow joggers and bicyclists to safely travel the road.
Road Description
Cecil Ashburn Drive is a part of a line of roads that connect Whitesburg Drive in Southeast Huntsville to U.S. Highway 72 in Gurley.
From the west, the road starts as Four Mile Post Road running through a heavy dense residential neighborhood and runs pass Jones Family Park, Atwood Linear Park Greenway, and Valley Bend At Jones Farm. Upon intersecting Carl T. Jones Drive and Bailey Cove Road, the name takes on the name Cecil Ashburn Drive where it widens to five lanes and travels through a large retail area. As it starts up the mountain, the road narrows to two lanes. The road twists along the mountain with limited access; only three intersections occur while traveling across the mountain: Avalon Drive and two parking lots for hikers. The road travels through the Blevins Gap Nature Preserve and provides trail heads for numerous hiking trails.
Once on the east side of the mountain, the road intersects Old Big Cove Road and becomes Sutton Road. After a short stretch, the road widens back to four lanes and intersects Taylor Road followed by U.S. Highway 431 where the road takes on the name Old Highway 431. This portion is a part of the future Bypass Network for the city of Huntsville and is also known as the Eastern Bypass as it travels through Hampton Cove and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The road eventuality narrows and becomes Little Cove Road and connects to U.S. Highway 72.
History
The road was built in the late 1990s and opened to traffic in January 2000[3] as a quick way for the fast-growing Hampton Cove subdivision to access Huntsville. The City of Huntsville named the road after James Cecil Ashburn in January of 2002.[4]
Safety
The safety of the road has been called in to question following multiple deadly wrecks.[5] Most wrecks generally occur along same stretch of road and are similar in details: A car traveling west into the city losses control while traveling around a curve near Avalon Drive. The wrecks usually occur after rain and the vehicle generally hits another vehicle head on.
Safety
The safety of the road has been called in to question following multiple deadly wrecks.[6] Most wrecks generally occur along same stretch of road and are similar in details: A car traveling west into the city losses control while traveling around a curve near Avalon Drive. The wrecks usually occur after rain and the vehicle generally hits another vehicle head on.
Since the road opened a total of four people have been killed on the road and nine people have been seriously injured. In June of 2012, one person died and four others where injured in a wreck near Avalon Drive,[7] the same location where two young women where killed in December of 2011.[8] More recently, on September 28, 2014, another person died in a wreck which also injured four others.
References
- ^ Google (July 1, 2013). "Overview Map of Cecil Ashburn Drive" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
- ^ "2012 Traffic Count Map" (PDF). Traffic Engineering. City of Huntsville.
- ^ Clines, Keith (27 March 2012). "Motorists will have to find another route with Cecil Ashburn Drive closed". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Doyle, Steve (22 July 2012). "Cecil Ashburn, builder of Memorial Parkway and U.S. 72 West, dead at 92". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Welch, Chris (11 June 2011). "Safety a concern on Cecil Ashburn Drive after recent fatality". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Welch, Chris (11 June 2011). "Safety a concern on Cecil Ashburn Drive after recent fatality". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Welch, Chris (11 June 2012). "Safety a concern on Cecil Ashburn Drive after recent fatality". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "Man Killed In Crash On Cecil Ashburn". WHNT News 19. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2014.