Committee votes to move forward with 18th Street revitalization

The Homewood planning and development committee strongly favored a plan to improve 18th Street during its June 1 meeting.

The revitalization plan, presented by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, would add landscaping and other beautification projects such as repaved sidewalks and ornamental lights on both sides of 18th Street running from the end of the downtown area to the Birmingham city limits. It also included new crosswalks with handicap-accessible ramps.

The plan includes potential landscaped islands in the street, though committee members discussed restriping the street instead to make room for wider sidewalks or additional parallel parking.

Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames has applied for an ALDOT grant to cover part of the $500,000 project, with the city paying about $150,000 over two fiscal years. It will be a few more weeks before the city will know if it has received the grant.

There are some legal issues to solve, including ALDOT’s ownership of part of the street, but committee members saw it as a positive project that would beautify an entrance to the city and potentially provide more parking and pedestrian access.

Ward 2 Representative Fred Hawkins pointed out that the grant also comes with a two-year project deadline, ensuring that the project would be completed in a timely manner if the grant is awarded to Homewood.

“This one’s going to happen fast,” Hawkins said. “This won’t be like a normal ALDOT project that lasts five years.”

The committee voted in favor of the project, pending resolution of legal issues and the grant being awarded in their favor. The issue will come before the full council for approval.