Last June, Bham Now reported that a pedestrian bridge linking Wald Park and the Vestavia Public Library received final approval from the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT).

In just a few days, the much-anticipated project is set to become a reality.

Read on for details, including when to expect traffic delays while the bridge is constructed.

Making the Vestavia Hills community more accessible

The new bridge will make Vestavia Hills a much more walkable community. Once completed, it will link popular locations like Wald Park, Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex, Library in the Forest and Boulder Canyon Trail, as well as the elementary school, Vestavia Hills Elementary West.

This May, US-31 experienced a temporary closure to deliver the spans for the upcoming bridge.

Here are some of its specifications:

143 feet long (or about half a football field!)
Features elevator/stair tower
300-feet of sidewalk will be removed + reconstructed on the East side
280-feet of new sidewalk will be built on the West side

The project is part of a larger initiative to expand community infrastructure in the Vestavia Hills area.

“Over the last few years, we have completed approximately $60 million in community spaces and infrastructure projects city-wide, all aimed at improving the quality of life for our residents and visitors to our city.”
Cinnamon McCulley, Assistant City Manager, Vestavia Hills

Expect delays + detours on the night of Sunday, June 22

According to ALDOT, US-31 in Vestavia Hills will be closed from Waldridge Road to Merryvale Road to set the pedestrian bridge on the evening of Sunday, June 22 at 10:30PM.

Lanes are expected to reopen by 6AM the following morning.

For real time traffic updates, visit ALGOTraffic.com.

Are you excited to see the linking of the library + Wald Park? Tell us what you think on Instagram by tagging us in the comment section at @bhamnow!