Aerial view of a park with a curving paved path, lawn, outdoor screen, small gathering of people, a mobile market van, and a sports court surrounded by trees — Fountain Heights received several upgrades, including a new paved walking loop, landscaping and recreational amenities. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Three Birmingham neighborhoods are getting a major boost in walkability, pedestrian safety and outdoor recreation thanks to a series of revitalization projects led by UAB’s Live HealthSmart Alabama initiative. The Druid Hills, Fountain Heights and Norwood communities celebrated new crosswalks, streetlights, walking trails, park enhancements, public art and more during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, November 13.

Read on to see what’s new in each neighborhood and how these improvements are helping build healthier communities in The Magic City.

Live HealthSmart Alabama completes revitalization projects in three Birmingham neighborhoods

A park with a circular walking path around an open lawn, rows of chairs set up for an event near a sign, and newly planted trees staked along the trail — Newly planted trees and a paved walking loop are among the improvements at Fountain Heights. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

A statewide initiative of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) that addresses barriers to healthy living, Live HealthSmart Alabama focuses on improving the places where people live, work, learn and play by making walking, recreation and community engagement more accessible.

“Meaningful change happens when residents, community organizations and local partners work together. At Live HealthSmart Alabama, our goal is to make healthy choices easier where people live, work, learn and play. The progress achieved in Druid Hills, Fountain Heights and Norwood demonstrates how community-driven solutions can create lasting improvements in health and quality of life.”
Mona Fouad, M.D., CEO, Live HealthSmart Alabama

Completed by a public-private collaboration among residents, local organizations, the City of Birmingham and private-sector supporters, the new improvements include:

51 high-visibility crosswalks
110 trees planted
700 linear feet of repaired sidewalks
Three new ADA-accessible ramps
20 new streetlights
63 solar-powered light bollards
6 miles of restored walking trail
New public art installations, wayfinding signage, benches, landscaping and recreational amenities

“We are excited to join our community and corporate partners to celebrate the progress made in Druid Hills, Fountain Heights and Norwood. These achievements reflect the success of the Live HealthSmart Alabama model and the strong partnerships that drive our work. We look forward to building on this momentum as we continue creating healthier communities in Birmingham and throughout Alabama.”
Ray Watts, President, UAB

What’s new in Druid Hills?

In the neighborhood of Druid Hills, the improvements focused on pedestrian safety, accessibility and neighborhood beautification with projects like:

15 high-visibility crosswalks
Three ADA-accessible ramps
700 linear feet of repaired sidewalks
20 new streetlights
65 newly planted trees

In addition, Barker Park received new public art murals, improved signage and landscaping upgrades to create a more welcoming community gathering space.

Norwood lands new walking trail + park upgrades

In Norwood, the improvements were centered around recreation, pedestrian safety and neighborhood connectivity. In addition to approximately 1.6 miles of restored walking trails, the upgrades include: