The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday agreed to pay $200,000 to install lighting at an Interstate 20 cross street in the Ensley neighborhood.

The lights will be installed along Bush Boulevard under I-20, just west of Arkadelphia Road between mile markers 120 and 121.

The work being done for the lighting is part of an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation, which owns the right-of-way.

Before the vote on the agreement, Councilor Hunter Williams asked whether ALDOT had a comprehensive plan for the area.

Chief Financial Officer Chaz Mitchell said Tuesday’s agreement was expedited because lighting work is considered a public safety issue. However, he said city staff would reach out to ALDOT officials about the plans.

Council President Wardine Alexander thanked Williams for the request, saying the public would benefit from the information.

“I think all of us would like to see all those lights and those areas lit, and we would hope we can get that communication going so at least we can tell our residents what that plan is,” Alexander said.

The council passed the agreement unanimously.

Councilor Sonja Smith, who represents the district, said this has been a public safety issue for residents and motorists.

“We know that when there’s more lighting at night, you have less crime and people generally feel safer,” Smith said. “For instance, if someone had an issue with their car and needed to pull over, they’d be more inclined to do so if the area is well lit. Having that lighting provides more comfort for the community.”

Brownfield Study

The council on Tuesday also approved a $424,000 agreement with Norcross, Georgia-based United Consulting Group to help the city develop and implement a redevelopment strategy for the community’s brownfield sites. According to the council’s agenda, the expense is part of a grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A brownfield site is property where development could be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.

According to a factsheet from the EPA, the $500,000 grant awarded to Birmingham last year will prioritize locations that include the 48-acre U.S. Pipe & Foundry site, the 40-acre former Carver High School, the 600-acre Ensley Works site and a 2.8-acre brick building at 2000 Pleasant Hill Road.

Councilor Clinton Woods said the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites could generate a substantial amount of additional tax revenue annually in Birmingham.

“We’re really trying to lay the foundation as a technology and medical research hub for the South, so having large, sprawling sites really helps put us in play for recruiting new companies to Birmingham,” Woods said. “We’ve seen other cities in the region attract these large developments, so this will help us clean up these sites and get them shovel-ready so that we can be in contention for major investments.”

Sports Events

In other business, the council passed a pair of resolutions for the city to host two Southwestern Athletic Conference football games at Legion Field and the 2027 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championship at the CrossPlex.

Councilor Hunter Williams, chair of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, said hosting such events will help Birmingham build a résumé to attract large-scale sports and entertainment events.

“Anytime we can get heads in beds in our hotels, people eating in our restaurants, or shopping at our businesses, it’s an economic win that we can keep stacking,” Williams said. “We’re always excited to support these events and help make them successful here in the city. There is a very comprehensive and competitive bid process for these opportunities, and we’ve continued partnering with the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau and the BJCC to position Birmingham as the destination that gets selected.”

The first SWAC football game will be held at Legion Field on Aug. 26, 2026. The second SWAC game and the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships will be held in 2027.