Photo by Jon Anderson
Construction workers put up decorative stone on a retaining wall that is part of the U.S. 31 gateway project near Interstate 65 in Vestavia Hills.
Construction crews have been making steady progress this summer on several major capital projects in Vestavia Hills following previous unexpected delays, city officials said.
The U.S. 31 gateway project at Interstate 65 and the pedestrian bridge over U.S. 31 both as of mid-July were scheduled for completion in August, and the Massey Road widening project was expected to be finished in September, City Manager Jeff Downes said.
Meanwhile, projects to add a turn lane at the intersection of Rocky Ridge Road and Dolly Ridge Road, add pool heaters at the Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex and build a veterans memorial at Altadena Valley Park were on schedule as planned, Downes said.
US 31 GATEWAY
The $1.2 million gateway project, which includes construction of a 15-foot-tall, 130-foot-long wall parallel to U.S. 31, had run into some delays after it was discovered the wall anchoring system was not being installed correctly and some of the work on the wall had to be halted and redone.
But workers in July were making steady progress on reinstalling the decorative stone facade, and the remaining work in the gateway project was expected to be complete by the end of August, Downes said. That included a little remaining site work, landscaping and improvements to the 1980s-era Sybil Temple replica at the interstate exit.
The decorative stones will help tie the old temple replica to the new retaining wall to give it a seamless look, as well as matching the decorative stone used in other city buildings and structures, Downes said.
Also, it’s important to note that the 130-foot-long wall and other aspects of the gateway project are not just for aesthetic purposes, Downes said. The project included some important work to improve stormwater flow and lessen water pooling on roadways and to help spur economic development in the corridor, Downes said.
The 130-foot-long wall will help the adjoining property owner — Steve Issis of Issis and Sons — redevelop his property in the most efficient and effective manner, Downes said. Issis recently began clearing some of the trees behind the wall and will be backfilling against the wall at his own expense to give him more developable land.
“Because it’s his dime and his expense to do this, his timing will be driven by the market, but I think it sets the stage for a good economic development opportunity,” Downes said.
Also, it’s worth noting that as the city has been trying to lure a nicer hotel and other entities to the former Days Inn site along U.S. 31, one of the obstacles noted by potential users has been the dated look of that entrance point to the city, Downes said.
“The ability to change that perception and change that thought process [with a nicer looking gateway] should help us not just at that spot but immediately adjacent to that as you come into a very important business corridor in the city,” Downes said.
While some people have been critical of the gateway project, the whole project was the result of communitywide meetings that identified sprucing up the city’s entrance as an important objective to improve first impressions and match the standard of living in Vestavia Hills, Downes said.
“At that gateway is crucial real estate for the future of our city,” he said.
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
Photo by Jon Anderson
Work continues on the elevator shaft for the pedestrian bridge over U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills in July.
The project to add a pedestrian bridge over U.S. 31 between Wald Park and the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest ran into some delays related to the elevator installation, but that problem was resolved, Downes said.
After a period of inaction on the site, workers have been busy on site again, actively working to finish the tower, get the elevator installed and construct a stairway from the library property to the bridge, Downes said. The contractor is reporting a scheduled completion date of late August, he said.
Photo by Jon Anderson
The contractor for the pedestrian bridge over U.S. 31 estimates work will be completed in August.
Downes emphasized that while the city of Vestavia Hills serves as the project sponsor and provided about $1 million of the total $5.3 million cost, the city is not managing this project. The project is being managed by the Alabama Department of Transportation, and a city representative has been present in meetings between ALDOT and the contractor, he said.
“The city is an encourager, but we are not in control,” Downes said.
Once the pedestrian bridge is open, the city will begin a $93,100 project to extend a sidewalk from the pedestrian bridge to the existing sidewalk just to the south in front of Baumhower’s Victory Grille. That sidewalk extension is projected to begin in January and be completed in the summer of 2027, according to the city’s website.
MASSEY ROAD
Photo by Jon Anderson
Massey Road remains blocked off at Columbiana Road as work continues to complete a retaining wall along the road.
The city is in a similar position with the $6.1 million project to widen and improve Massey Road and add a sidewalk along the road. That project also is being managed by ALDOT but ran into delays after the contractor encountered a water main that did not show up on the engineering drawings. The water main had to be relocated.
The new retaining wall that had to be built on the south side of the road to provide support for the road also had to be redesigned due to unexpected issues encountered with the site once construction began, Downes said. You don’t always know what you’re going to run into when you start driving steel pilings down into bedrock to hold up a wall, he said.
Photo by Jon Anderson
Work was still in progress on a retaining wall along Massey Road in Vestavia Hills.
The contractor expected to complete the work with steel pilings in early August and after that would be pouring the rest of the concrete structures and laying down asphalt, Downes said. As of mid-July, the expected completion date was September.
The western portion of Massey Road, where the retaining wall is being built, has been closed since December 2024.
VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA
Construction of a Veterans Memorial Plaza at Altadena Valley Park is going as planned, Downes said. Construction started this spring and is still anticipated to be completed this fall, he said.
The $477,000 project will provide a dedicated space to remember veterans and include a monument, pavilion, landscaping, irrigation and drainage improvements to enhance the park.
The Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation Foundation pledged $100,000 for the project, and Jefferson and Shelby counties each pledged $50,000, Downes said. State Rep. Mike Shaw and others have pledged additional funding for the memorial as well, he said.
POOL HEATERS
A $460,000 project to add two heaters to the competition pool at the Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex at Wald Park also is on schedule, Downes said. The heaters have been installed and tested and passed their inspection, he said.
Fencing to hide the pool heaters was being installed in July, and the heaters will be ready for operation when it’s time to turn them on in the fall, extending the swim season for year-round use, Downes said.
ROCKY RIDGE TURN LANE
The project to add a right turn lane from Rocky Ridge Road to Dolly Ridge Road also was on schedule to be completed in time for the start of school on Aug. 11, Downes said.
The city provided $90,000 for design work, and construction is being handled by public works crews with Jefferson County.
Anyone who travels that area regularly knows that during the school year, traffic backs up at that intersection, particularly in the mornings, Downes said. “Anything we can do at that intersection to improve how traffic navigates the intersection should be a positive,” he said.
The space for a turn lane was minimal, so the turn lane had to be designed in such a way that it provided enough room for traffic but protected the structural integrity of an adjoining dentist office, Downes said.
The turn lane also was designed to allow for a future sidewalk extension to connect to other sidewalks in that vicinity, he said.
OTHER PROJECTS
The Vestavia Hills City Council also on July 20 approved a $643,000 contract for site work for the planned police station, maintenance facility and potential satellite library at the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex. That work will include tree clearing, bringing in fill dirt and implementing erosion control measures.
The city also expects to receive bids for the expansion and renovation of Fire Station No. 4 at Liberty Park by Aug. 25 and hopefully award a contract by late September, Downes said.
Vestavia Hills also is collaborating with Mountain Brook for construction of a four-story, portable fire training facility at the Over The Mountain Regional Training Center in Mountain Brook. Vestavia Hills agreed to spend a little more than $1 million for the structure, which will cover at least 5,000 square feet and support live fire training with insulated burn rooms. That facility should be completed by early fall, Downes said.
People can see updates on capital projects in Vestavia Hills on the city’s website by clicking on City Projects under the Community tab on the home page.
