By Emily Williams
After nearly a year of construction, the new Cahaba Road roundabout was unveiled with a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 1.
The roundabout is positioned between the entrance to the Birmingham Zoo and the site of a new entrance for the Botanical Gardens.
Through the incorporation of crosswalks and a new sidewalk, the zoo and the gardens will be connected, creating the option for guests to park at either attraction and walk between the two.
As a result, the existing three-lane road has been reduced to two lanes to accommodate the space needed for the sidewalks on both sides of the street.
“We put the road on a diet,” said Birmingham city council member Valerie Abbott.
Because of the curve of the roundabout, she said, drivers will have a harder time speeding. Abbott also said that making the two attractions walkable will have health benefits for the public.
“It’s exactly what we envisioned,” Mountain Brook city council member Jesse Vogtle said. “We wanted to see these communities connecting with each other, coming together and collaborating.”
Because of its location, the roundabout became a joint project for Homewood, Mountain Brook, Birmingham and Jefferson County.
“We are one community, and we all must work together to improve that,” Birmingham Mayor William Bell said. “And the project that has been completed here represents the knitting of those communities.”
In addition, ALDOT collaborated with the Red Rock Ridge and Valley Trail System, a project under the Freshwater Land Trust, when creating the new feature. The initiative of Freshwater Land Trust is to make Birmingham a better place to live by creating an environment in which healthy choices are easier to make.
Representatives from the Freshwater Land Trust said they hope the new sidewalks will encourage and invite people in the community to walk instead of drive.
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens also announced upcoming improvements that will enhance the surrounding community.
The facility will see over $700,000 in projects put in place with the help of the Friends of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Improvements will include facility repairs, a new entrance on Cahaba Road, a crosswalk outside of the Lane Parke Road entrance, waste management upgrades and a new path through the Southern Living Garden. ϖ
