The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved a half-million-dollar agreement under which the Freshwater Land Trust will provide consulting and project management services for the city’s Shades Creek Greenway project.

This project will connect Mountain Brook’s Irondale Furnace Trail to Birmingham’s Flora Johnston Nature Preserve and establish a new trail running along Shades Creek on the city’s right-of-way.

Birmingham will pay $547,619 to the Fresh Water Land Trust for the management and maintenance of the walking trail.

Tuesday’s vote helps solidify a key corridor along the Red Rock Trail System, the 36-mile loop that will connect communities across the city via a walking trail.

Councilor Valerie Abbott praised the Land Trust after the unanimous vote.

“They do very, very valuable work for the public,” she said.

Councilor Hunter Williams also thanked the Innovate Alabama Network, which provided grant funding for the project.

Last year, the Birmingham City Council voted to approve a funding agreement for the Shades Creek Trail Expansion, to which Williams allocated a total of $1.5 million of his office’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“I know this is going to be a huge asset for our city because it’s currently under construction and we’ve asked people not to walk on it, but we can’t keep people off of it. That’s how excited the community is about this trail so it’s pretty clear already that this is going to be a success once it’s completed,” Williams said.

Arrington Blvd Improvements, Mental Health in Schools, Animal Control Public Hearing

The council on Tuesday also voted to accept a $3.2 million grant to help fund greenway and road improvements along Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard South.

According to Birmingham Department of Transportation Director James Fowler, the work will start just south of Five Points South and cover the portion of the road running south over the mountain. It will convert the current four-lane highway into a three-lane thoroughfare with a dedicated bike and pedestrian lane.

“This is a long-desired project in District 3 and in the Five Points South neighborhood because when you walk over the mountain, you have to walk in the street. It’s really dangerous,” Abbott said. “There’s great excitement in our neighborhood about finally getting it done after close to 10 years of talking about it. I’ve walked from Five Points South up to Vulcan along that road and let me tell you, it’s a death-defying feat.”

Councillor Carol Clarke added “It’s even scary when you’re driving.”

The grant is part of the Alabama Department of Transportation’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program.

Construction is expected to begin next summer.

In other business, the council

• Approved giving $1 million to the Birmingham Board of Education to provide mental health support on school campuses, via licensed counselors and consulting services. According to city staff, the program also includes support for school personnel, for early identification of students in crisis and training of school staff in mental health?related techniques to allow earlier intervention.
• Announced that city officials will hold a town hall meeting Wednesday to discuss animal control efforts. The event will be held at the A.H. Parker High School auditorium. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; meeting begins at 6 p.m. City leaders say this town hall meeting is a chance for the public to provide feedback about ongoing animal control efforts and potential changes to the city’s code. The city is also seeking feedback through an online survey.