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Alignment and
Land Use: Topics of Spring Workshops
In Spring 2007, the Regional Planning
Commission of Greater Birmingham
(RPC) conducted a series of
workshops with project stakeholders,
agencies, and interested organizations
to further refine plans for future transit investments
in the ITP study area. The
three workshops—held on April 27, May 31, and June
22—focused on refining the draft alignment for the
new
transit system; that is, the series of streets on which
the BRT vehicles
could run. An additional goal of the workshops was to develop
a vision for future land use in the corridor that will
help support the new transit system.
The
morning sessions of the workshops included the staff of agencies
and organizations involved in
planning, engineering, and economic development in the
Birmingham City
Center. Participants engaged in hands-on exercises to spur
discussion about
relevant issues. Attendees at afternoon sessions included
regional and
neighborhood stakeholders who added their own comments
and insight to ideas that were explored during the
morning sessions.
At the first workshop, participants created a “transit-supportive
development” framework
for the
corridor, based on previous planning efforts such as the
City Center Master Plan and the UAB Master Plan.
At the second and third workshops, participants
created a draft “tool box” and
action plan, focusing on specific things that can be done
to achieve the vision of a
land use plan that will support the transit investment,
and vice-versa. One of the
main ideas to come out of the workshops was the initiation
of a Transit District Plan,
which will be used to guide development along the transit
corridor.
During the three workshops,
participants discussed whether transit would be best
suited to 18th or 19th Street north of the Railroad Reservation.
Much of the discussion centered around the twin goals of serving
existing activity centers and providing a focus for new development.
Transit on 19th Street North would serve a
number of existing businesses, while more
sites are available for development or redevelopment along 18th
Street North.
An option that
emerged (see map below) is to provide Bus Rapid Transit
service along 18th Street before turning east on Morris Avenue
and connecting
to
the planned
intermodal
center.
From Morris Avenue, the alignment would turn north
on 19th Street, extending to 8th Avenue North where
it
would turn
east again (providing access to Linn Park and cultural
facilities), and finally turn north on Richard Arrington
Jr. Boulevard
where it would access the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention
Center.
The RPC will be looking for more feedback on this
option over the coming months, as well as how to make better
connections
with the in-town neighborhoods. The map below shows how communities
surrounding downtown Birmingham might be connected with
bus service to the new Bus Rapid Transit system. Lines
would extend northwest to Enon Ridge and East Thomas;
northeast to Druid Hills and Evergreen; west
to Fountain Heights, Smithfield, and Graymont; east
of Central City; southeast to Southside and Highland
Park; and southwest to Five Points South and Glen
Iris. Plans also include an I-65 corridor express bus connecting
with the BRT line on 6th Street South, west of UAB.
If you would
like to comment on the draft recommended alignment, or
on any other facet
of
the ITP
project, please contact the
RPC or attend a public meeting in Fall 2007.
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