Tag: City of Birmingham

BDOT Embarks on Set of Road and Trail Projects Under Comprehensive Policy

In 2024, the Birmingham Department of Transportation embarked on a series of projects aimed at modernizing the city’s infrastructure and transportation systems, including street resurfacing, creation of bike lanes and walking paths and methods to slow traffic and even discourage it. Read more.

Where Do Your Dollars Go?

Mayor Randall Woodfin stood in front of a crowd Monday night holding up a dollar bill. The city spends 75 cents of every dollar on personnel, with just a quarter going to Birmingham’s operating budget, he told the residents and officials gathered.

Birmingham officials held the town hall — during which Woodfin explained the city’s budget process and residents had a chance to voice their interests — as the city prepares to create a new budget, for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Council President Darrell O’Quinn said that, to the best of his knowledge, Monday’s event, held at Boutwell Auditorium, was the first such budget town hall city leaders have done. Read more.

Woodfin’s Strategic Update Touts Progress in Neighborhood Improvement, Food Deserts, Gun Violence, Parks, Education, Homelessness and the Arts

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin gave an update on his strategic plan during an address 12.15.23. (From Youtube stream)

When Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin gave an update on the city’s initiatives Thursday, he asked the crowd at the Birmingham Museum of Art’s auditorium to view that progress through the eyes of one mother or grandmother and the many tangible ways life has improved for her and her family since he took office. 

“Everything we’ve done has been to increase opportunities for our children and grandchildren,” he said. “That really drives what we do at City Hall. That drives this administration. That is the heartbeat of what we do for our children, for our grandchildren.” 

Back in 2017, the mayor said, that grandmother would look out her front door and see dilapidated or vacant homes next door, a cracked sidewalk and roads dotted with potholes. Six years ago, that woman’s grandchildren didn’t have a playground nearby, and the family lived miles away from a store selling fresh vegetables. And worst of all, he said, she and her grandchildren would often hear gunshots throughout the night.   

“By the end of our first term, here is what we did for that mother; here is what we did for that grandmother,” the mayor said. Read more.

Grant Could Streamline Recycling Pickup in Birmingham

Birmingham has accepted a grant to revamp the city’s recycling program so residents can opt in or opt out of recycling, making pickup more efficient.

The grant for more than $750,000 comes from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Recycling Fund. It will pay for trucks, bins and educational and training programs.

The idea is to restructure curbside recycling collection so people can register for recycling service or opt out. The city then would determine special routes for picking up recycling from those who want the service. Read more.