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City of Birmingham
The City of Birmingham, in coordination with the City of Trussville and Norfolk Southern Railroad, has selected a design firm to spearhead the first phase of a transformational project that will improve safety and quality of life for residents in the two cities while also strengthening the region’s role as a critical freight hub. The project — Reduce Extended Delays; Enhance Safety; and Invest in Growing Neighborhoods (R.E.D.E.S.I.G.N.) Alabama — is supported by a federal grant as well as significant funding from Norfolk Southern.
On Monday, the partners announced the selection of Kimley-Horn, one of the nation’s premier engineering firms, to lead the design and environmental review phase of the project, marking an important step forward in addressing long-standing challenges created by the intersection of freight rail traffic and vehicular traffic at several at-grade crossings between Woodlawn and Trussville.
“Together, we are focused on improving access for residents to get to work, school, and to receive emergency services,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “This project is about removing barriers and making it easier and safer for people to move through their own neighborhoods. At the same time, we are making a major investment in the infrastructure that keeps Birmingham and our region moving. We are grateful for this partnership.”
“Blocked railroad crossings have created frustrations for our residents and presented real concerns for public safety and emergency response. This project represents an important step toward delivering a long-term solution to a problem that has impacted our communities for decades,” said Trussville Mayor Ben Short. “By working together with the City of Birmingham, Norfolk Southern, and our federal partners, we are making meaningful progress toward improving safety, reducing traffic delays, and strengthening the infrastructure that supports our region’s economic growth. I am excited to see this project move into the design phase and look forward to the positive impact it can have on our communities for generations to come.”
R.E.D.E.S.I.G.N. Alabama was announced by the project partners in 2023 after the City of Birmingham’s Department of Transportation was awarded an $8 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The project will include:
- Closing nine rail crossings between Woodlawn and Trussville and reroute traffic to new grade-separated crossing
- Building an underpass at Brussels Avenue.
- Building a pedestrian underpass near 59th Street.
- Extending 5th Avenue South to Brussels Avenue and constructing a sidewalk along 5th Avenue from 56th Street to Brussels Avenue.
- Extending the railroad siding track in Trussville two miles into Norfolk Southern’s Norris Yard to allow trains leaving and approaching the yard to pass without blocking motorists.
- Building a bridge at Mary Taylor Road.
When complete, the project will provide Woodlawn community residents with unimpeded access to and from their neighborhoods and homes while significantly reducing the frequency of blocked crossings. By building an underpass and eliminating multiple at-grade crossings, train horns will no longer be required to be blown along this corridor, creating a quieter environment for the Harris Homes and Woodlawn neighborhoods.
In addition, the siding track extension will provide more rail capacity for inbound and outbound trains traveling into or out of Norfolk Southern’s Norris Yard in Irondale to meet and pass in an area away from a major public roadway crossing. Coupled with the existing Watterson Parkway bridge and a new grade separation at Mary Taylor Road, the almost three miles of track expansion will allow train movements to be mostly isolated from the motoring public.
Norfolk Southern considers this project a priority and is contributing $1.5 million toward the local grant match, with the City of Birmingham and the City of Trussville splitting the remaining local match. As a demonstration of Norfolk Southern’s commitment to Birmingham and the project, the company also unveiled a Birmingham-themed locomotive during Monday’s press event announcing the project milestone.
“R.E.D.E.S.I.G.N. Alabama demonstrates what’s possible when communities and the railroad collaborate to solve long-standing challenges and engage the right government resources to fund a solution,” said Norfolk Southern Vice President of Transportation Rodney Moore. “This investment will enhance safety, improve quality of life, strengthen supply chain connectivity and help ensure that Birmingham continues to thrive as an important rail and economic hub for decades to come.”
Timeline
The design and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) work are expected to take approximately two years. Once that work is complete, Birmingham and its partners will pursue federal and other funding opportunities to move the project into construction.
“Good infrastructure should work for everybody — our residents, our neighborhoods, and our regional economy,” Woodfin said. “This project allows us to solve a problem that has affected people for generations while building a safer, more connected community.”
