2nd Chance for Pedestrian Bridge?

Could the pedestrian bridge over Veteran's Parkway be saved from demolition? Tuscaloosa City Council President Kip Tyner, who represents the Alberta 5th District area, is having second thoughts about his support for taking down the four-decade old pedestrian bridge across busy Veteran's Parkway East.

The city's projects committee voted to recommend demolishing the bridge and forwarded the matter to the full seven-member council, which was poised to vote on it but ultimately tabled it until this coming Tuesday night. Numerous area residents opposed to the demolition are expected to attend and voice that opposition to the council.

A number of residents from the Cherokee Hills, Arcadia, Mayfair and other nearby neighborhoods are worried about safety issues for children and older persons attempting to cross the heavily traveled divided 4-lane road.  It is not unusual to see school children walking and riding bicycles across the structure on the way home from school or at play. Members of the adjacent neighborhoods have now organized protests of the decision.

Bridge use had declined due to aging residents of the area not having as many children as past times, but that trend is slowly reversing as younger families move into the area. One resident who did not want to be identified told Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Thread, "Just because we don't have a great number of children walking across the bridge now doesn't mean we never will. But we never will if they tear it down!"

Tyner is telling area media that he may have rushed to judgement in his support for removing the aging but structurally sound walking bridge.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox has said the work required to extend the useful life of the bridge would exceed $ 1 million verses a half million to demolish.  Tyner believes repairing may be the better community option.