Walking and driving through downtown Birmingham is about to become easier and more enjoyable now that construction on North Old Woodward Avenue is scheduled to wrap up next week.
The $2.5-million project is rebuilding the thoroughfare, considered the city's Main Street, between Oak Street and Ring Road on the north side of downtown. For pedestrians, this means new sidewalks, crosswalks, trees and plants. Medians meant to help calm traffic and give walkers a refuge while crossing the street are also being installed.
For motorists, the upgrades include new pavement, curbs and gutters as well as a widened road to accommodate angled parking. The 10-foot-wide median is large enough to plant trees but will be wide enough to allow for left-turns, making it both functional and aesthetically pleasing to motorists.
The road will be partially closed for one day next week so work crews can finish laying new pavement. Once that is done, the overall project will be complete.
Source: Paul O’Meara, assistant director of engineering for the city of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke
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