Tuscaloosa · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tuscaloosa public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Pedestrian safety at Hargrove Road intersection
A resident laid out the dangers at Hargrove Road, Forest Lake Drive and 2nd East Avenue: no sidewalks, no crosswalks, sensor-based lights that don't give pedestrians enough time, and 40 mph traffic. She asked the city to add a crosswalk and eventually sidewalks.
Rice Mine Slope Repair
A tentative $242,317 award to John Plott Company for repairing the Rice Mine slope was on the agenda — a fix for a road-adjacent slope that matters to commuters in that corridor.
Knoll Road street vacation for University Boulevard East project
A stub of Knoll Road got cut off when the University Boulevard East improvements reshaped the Knoll subdivision's entrance. The city wants to hand the unused strip to the neighboring property owner so it doesn't have to mow and maintain it forever.
Skyland Boulevard pedestrian improvements
A grant agreement with ADECA will fund the Skyland Boulevard Improvements Project — a road project residents who drive that corridor will notice.
Skyland Boulevard streetscape grant
The city got an $800,000 state TAP grant to build a shared-use path on the north side of Skyland Boulevard from McFarland to Andrew Street, making the busy corridor walkable near a major bus stop. Total project cost is about $1.25-1.37 million with a $200,000 city match.
Woolsey Finnell Bridge utility relocation
Both revisions together budget a 100 percent reimbursable ALDOT agreement — $159,450 in the general fund and $2,701,107 in water and sewer funds — for fiber and utility relocation tied to the Woolsey Finnell Bridge project.
Ash Street sidewalk connecting YMCA to Kaulton Park
A new sidewalk along Ash Street and Pine Street will link the Benjamin Barnes YMCA to Kaulton Park, with lighting and improved parking. Engineering and construction contracts both moved forward this meeting.
Black Warrior Barge Moorings project bids over budget
Bids for the final piece of the city's 2020 BUILD Grant obligations came in about $750,000 too high. The committee rejected them and will rebid with two mooring piles instead of three, hoping to stay within budget.
Tuscaloosa Road Improvement Commission amendment
The joint road improvement body reincorporated in 2022 under a law requiring 'Authority' in its name, so it's formally becoming the Tuscaloosa Road Improvement Authority with the city's blessing.
Skyland Boulevard sidewalk and lighting project
A $1.3 million project to build sidewalks and lighting along Skyland Boulevard, funded mostly by an $800,000 federal TAP grant the city was asked to apply for. The committee also needed to move $323,500 in contingency to cover the match and extra costs.