$10M railroad project aims to end decades of blocked crossings in Birmingham and Trussville
It may be years down the tracks, but Birmingham, Trussville and federal officials say they’ve got a $10 million plan in motion with train operators to build an overpass, an underpass and new traffic routes to help solve railroad blockages and stoppages.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and Trussville Mayor Ben Short announced that those cities will each chip in $250,000 to go with a federal grant of $8 million and $1.5 million from Norfolk Southern Railroad to get the project under way.
The project includes a planned new overpass at Mary Taylor Road, which is in Birmingham city limits on one side and Trussville city limits on the other, to take car traffic over the railroad.
It also includes a planned underpass at Brussels Avenue in Birmingham to offer a new traffic route to and from Harris Homes in the Woodlawn area. The plan includes a pedestrian underpass near 59th Street. Fifth Avenue South will be extended to Brussels Avenue and a sidewalk will be added along 5th Avenue from 56th Street to Brussels Avenue.
Nine railroad crossings between Woodlawn and Trussville where streets are on the same level as trains will be eliminated.
Norfolk Southern will extend railroad siding track in Trussville two miles into Norfolk Southern’s Norris Yard to allow trains leaving and approaching the yard to pass without blocking motorists.
That should eliminate train stoppages at Trussville Springs, Stockton and Carrington subdivisions, Short said, since trains won’t be backed up heading into Norris Yards, a major switching station.
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer were on hand at Sloss Furnace on Monday morning to announce he project, called REDESIGN for “Reduce Extended Delays, Enhance Safety and Invest in Growing Neighborhoods.”
Birmingham coordinated with Trussville and Norfolk Southern Railroad to select a design firm to spearhead the first phase.
The engineering firm of Kimley-Horn will lead the design and environmental review phase of the project.
“Together, we are focused on improving access for residents to get to work, school, and to receive emergency services,” said Woodfin. “This project is about removing barriers and making it easier and safer for people to move through their own neighborhoods. At the same time, we are making a major investment in the infrastructure that keeps Birmingham and our region moving. We are grateful for this partnership.”
Birmingham and Trussville officials said it offers a solution for a problem both cities have battled for many years.
“Blocked railroad crossings have created frustrations for our residents and presented real concerns for public safety and emergency response,” Short said. “This project represents an important step toward delivering a long-term solution to a problem that has impacted our communities for decades.”
The siding track extension will provide more rail capacity for inbound and outbound trains traveling into or out of Norfolk Southern’s Norris Yard in Irondale to meet and pass in an area away from a major public roadway crossing. Coupled with the existing Watterson Parkway bridge in Trussville and a new grade separation at Mary Taylor Road, the almost three miles of track expansion will allow train movements to be mostly isolated from the motoring public.
The plan was first announced in 2023 after Birmingham’s Department of Transportation was awarded an $8 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which Sewell helped secure.
When complete, the project should provide Woodlawn residents with unimpeded access to and from their neighborhoods and homes while significantly reducing the frequency of blocked railroad crossings.
Adding an underpass and overpass and eliminating multiple at-grade crossings should mean train horns will no longer be required to be blown along this corridor, creating a quieter environment for the Harris Homes and Woodlawn neighborhoods, Birmingham City Council member Darrell O’Quinn said.
Norfolk Southern will contribute $1.5 million toward the local grant match. The company also unveiled a Birmingham-themed locomotive during Monday’s press event announcing the project.
“R.E.D.E.S.I.G.N. Alabama demonstrates what’s possible when communities and the railroad collaborate to solve long-standing challenges and engage the right government resources to fund a solution,” said Norfolk Southern Vice President of Transportation Rodney Moore.
“This investment will enhance safety, improve quality of life, strengthen supply chain connectivity and help ensure that Birmingham continues to thrive as an important rail and economic hub for decades to come.”
The design and National Environmental Policy Act work are expected to take approximately two years. Once that work is complete, the partners will pursue federal and other funding opportunities to move the project into construction.
“Good infrastructure should work for everybody--our residents, our neighborhoods, and our regional economy,” Woodfin said. “This project allows us to solve a problem that has affected people for generations while building a safer, more connected community.”