New project to refurbish connection between UAH + Cummings Research Park

Thursday night, the Huntsville City Council approved an engineering design and construction administration services contract for a project that will refurbish a major downtown corridor that links to the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Cummings Research Park.

The project will cover about 3.25 miles of Holmes Avenue from Spragins Avenue to Sparkman Drive. It will create multimodal transportation options for Holmes Avenue that will further enhance the roadway.

Holmes Avenue project takes a step forward

The project will include sidewalks, multiuse paths, cycle lanes, transit shelters, landscaping, decorative lighting and street furniture. Altogether, the improvements aim to make the corridor safer for all modes of transportation while attracting more residents to use Holmes Avenue.

The city was awarded a $21.6 million federal grant for the project, and will provide $9 million in matching funds.

Huntsville’s Urban and Long-Range Planning Manager Dennis Madsen said the section of Holmes Avenue covered by the project connects three growing parts of Huntsville:

• The downtown area
• UAH
• Cummings Research Park

Additionally, the corridor is home to high-traffic entities such as Clearview Cancer Institute, the Huntsville VA Clinic and The Rock Family Worship in addition to established neighborhoods.

“These improvements will allow for better connection. Students at UAH will be able to more easily come to downtown and there will be greater access to Cummings Research Park. It’s how we get ahead of the growth.”

Dennis Madsen, Urban and Long-Range Planning Manager

Volkert, Inc. will finalize engineering design plans leading up to the start of construction near the end of 2027. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2030.

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