birminghamal.gov
The City of Birmingham’s Department of Transportation plans to convert Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard South through the historic Five Points South district from a one-way street to a two-way street. The conversion will extend from Highland Avenue South to University Boulevard.
This strategic infrastructure improvement is designed to strengthen connectivity within the district, making it easier for residents, visitors, and businesses to navigate the area. In addition to improving traffic flow, the project will enhance safety for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians by creating more intuitive travel patterns and increasing overall visibility along the corridor.
The conversion is scheduled for the weekend of March 7-8. During the implementation, rolling closures will begin at Highland Avenue South and proceed block by block toward University Boulevard. Traffic control personnel and clear signage will guide drivers safely through the area during the transition.
During the rolling closures, all driveways, parking areas, and properties along the affected blocks will remain accessible to property owners, employees, and visitors at all times. The City is committed to maintaining access while ensuring the safety of the public and work crews.
Motorists are encouraged to use caution, follow posted signage, and allow additional travel time while the conversion is underway. For updates and additional information, please visit the City of Birmingham’s official website or contact the Department of Transportation.
According to Darrell O’Quinn, City Council President and Chair of the Birmingham City Council Transportation Committee, one-way streets started in the 1950s to support motorists traveling out of the city to the suburbs.
“In recent times, both our city and cities all over the country have realized that that [one way streets] are harmful to the fabric of our community and our small businesses. What were otherwise slow-moving streets were turned into fast moving thoroughfares catering to people who were just looking to get in and out of the city.
In 2018, Birmingham adopted a Complete Streets ordinance—a policy that redesigns city streets to accommodate not only the movement of vehicular traffic, but pedestrians, bicyclists and public transit users.
BhamNow contributed to this story.
