The dirt on Homewood projects

Shades Creek Greenway

Plans for construction of Phase II of the Shades Creek Greenway are on schedule.

Keith Strickland of Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood engineering confirmed that construction will begin in 2014.

Phase II of the greenway will stretch across Shades Creek under I-65 and end near John Carroll Catholic High School.

Strickland also estimates that Phase III will begin six to 12 months after the completion of Phase II.

Phase III will extend across Lakeshore Parkway into West Homewood Park.

Federal funding will sponsor 80 percent of the project while local funds will cover 20 percent.

The completed greenway will allow pedestrians to travel between Colonial Brookwood Village and West Homewood Park.

To see a map of the greenway plans, visit thehomewoodstar.com.

Community Center

Homewood Parks and Recreation recently finished laying the foundation for the renovation of the new Community Center.

Berkley Squires, Homewood Parks and Recreation director, said engineers project the first week of April as their completion date.

With the contingency cost at $15,846,085, Squires said the facility will feature two full-court gymnasiums, a cardio room with more than 4,000 square feet, a pool, a multi purpose room and administrative offices.

“It’s a vital part of our citizens’ lives,” Squires said. “It’s the hub of our community.”

For more updates on the progress, visit homewoodparks.com.

Pedestrian Bridge

A pedestrian bridge on Hollywood Blvd. over U.S. 280 connecting Homewood to Mountain Brook is still in the works. The bridge would ultimately be part of a larger trail system that connects with a loop around the Birmingham Zoo.

In August Homewood City Council heard presentations from four engineering firms with proposed aesthetic details and estimated costs for the bridge project.

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has not given the cities of Homewood and Mountain Brook a contingency quote for the project, which was approved by the Homewood City Council last year.

“It’s important to a lot of people who run, walk or jog in Homewood and Mountain Brook,” Mayor Scott McBrayer said. “The bridge is so narrow; it causes a lot of problems.”

McBrayer said he hopes ALDOT will respond by the end of this month with the approximate portion of the project local funding must cover. Federal funding will cover 80 percent of the project, while Homewood and Mountain Brook will each cover 10 percent.

Although the bridge will cross into the city of Birmingham, it is not aiding in the funding of the bridge. However, McBrayer said Birmingham has given the approval to have sidewalks constructed that will lead to the bridge.

Last year Jackie Langlow, former city councilwoman, said the preliminary estimate for funding costs covered by Homewood and Mountain Brook ranged from $100,000 to $150,000.

“It’s going to come down to the money,” McBrayer said. “If it’s a number we feel comfortable with, we’ll put it in the budget and proceed.”