Highway 280 Pedestrian Bridge to be developed in Mountain Brook

Plans are underway for the expansion of the Highway 280 Pedestrian Bridge in the Mountain Brook/Homewood area, which was initially proposed in 2018. Since then, this project has been revised and undergone several improvements under the direction of the Neighborhood Improvement Co-operative. This Co-operative was set up by the governments involved in this project, which include the cities of Birmingham, Homewood, Mountain Brook and also Jefferson County. 

The Highway 280 Pedestrian Bridge project was delayed by various disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the project is now back on track and moving forward. Earlier this year, the Co-operative made some recommendations and requested that the Jefferson County Roads and Transportation Department, and Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) look into developing not just a widened bridge, but also improving safety by providing better traffic-flow and protected pedestrian access. The planned upgrades were approved and recently a revised rendering of the bridge project was finally released.

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The Highway 280 Pedestrian Bridge project will feature an eight-foot-wide protected pedestrian bridge, which is worth about $1 million. In addition, the project also covers the construction of a left-turn lane for cars embarking the on-slip for Highway 280 eastbound, as well as a traffic signal for those cars departing through Highway 280 West at Hollywood Boulevard. Governments involved in this project intend to start taking bids in August 2022.

The cost for the Highway 280 Pedestrian Bridge expansion and the other upgrades is estimated at $2 million. According to the Homewood Ward 5 councilor, Jennifer Andress, these estimated costs are not inclusive of the decorative flourishes that the Co-operative is considering. She added, “We are actively fundraising for that portion now. We feel like this bridge is a keystone to all three cities and the county and would love to see something in place that beautifies it.” 

Andress also said, “Although it has taken longer than expected, the solution Jefferson County Roads & Transportation has come up with ALDOT support is a better, safer bridge servicing this vital area of Jefferson County.