Birmingham Magazine Follows the Grade Separation

These excepts from the Birmingham Magazine were found in the Birmingham Public Library.  It is interesting to note how important the Chamber of Commerce, which published the magazine (and still does today), felt this improvement was to downtown traffic.  This was a problem that had been plaguing the City since the earliest days.

Imagine how complex this project must have been.  The City was built around the railroad reservation, but all of these busy tracks were "at grade", or at street level.  How would one plan to elevate these tracks, with all the train traffic, both freight and passenger, without disrupting service?  Remember that the passenger traffic alone in Birmingham at this time was nearly 50 arrivals and departures daily.

With this time frame established, it is hoped that photos of the project can be found and presented in this web page.  In the meantime, the following excerpts will "illustrate" what was going on at the time...

This cartoon is from the Birmingham Age Herald newspaper, June 15, 1926.

The 24th Street Viaduct was completed and put into use, following a ceremonial opening of this $300,000 span.

Business and industrial activities in Birmingham during September have been brisk.  Building activities indicate this year will break last year's record.  Building and public improvements in Birmingham now on course of construction are under way to the amount of $10,000,000 and greater expansion plans during the next few months calls for an expenditure of approximately $20m more.

Among the proposed construction in Birmingham and Jefferson County include ten new viaducts and one subway...

October announced two great developments for Birmingham.  The City Commission came to an agreement with the railroads regarding the grade crossings, separating the nourished from the south side and as a result three underpasses and a viaduct to replace the old Twenty Second Street bridge will be constructed.  Work upon surveys necessary before actual construction can begin has already begun and the program will require 18 months to complete, and will cost $4,000,000.

Outstanding Additions to Birmingham in 1927...

Launching of the Viaduct and Underpass Program

Plans for the building of Birmingham's underpasses and viaducts have been approved and work is expected to be started on actual construction June 1.

Two important events have taken place during the past month, which will mean great strides forward for Birmingham as a city.  They are the ratification for the issuance of $4,000,000 in bonds for the immediate construction of a viaduct and underpass system, and

The ratification of the bond issue was given overwhelmingly by a vote of approximately two to one.  The problem of the grade crossings, which separate the business district from the south side, has been one of long standing and for 35 years efforts have been made to solve it.

Agreement between the City Commission and the railroads has been reached whereby they will pay for the system on a fifty-fifty basis, the City paying $2M and the railroads $2M.

It is believed that the bonds can be easily financed by the method adopted by the Commission, so that a hardship will not be placed on any citizen.

Plans for the project are being rushed to completion and actual work is expected to be started within sixty days.  This is another good thing the present city commission has done for Birmingham.

The people of Birmingham authorized, in a special election, the city's issuance of $4M in bonds for an underpass program, to relieve the railroad crossing problem, separating the business district from the south side.  Plans for the program, which will be the greatest that has been attempted in the South, are expected to be completed within the next 60 days.

City officials will let contracts for preliminary work on the underpass and viaduct project at an early date, it was announced, following the completion of engineers plans and settling of the financing.  Actual work on the grade separation scheme wills tart about the middle of the summer.

Construction of the Twenty Second Street Viaduct, which is the first unit in the proposed grade separation plan, will begin by September 1, according to announcement by the City Commission.  Bids for the project will be asked for soon.

Contracts for the construction of the $200,000 concrete viaduct at 22nd Street will be awarded September First.

Definite agreement on the contract for Birmingham's proposed $4M underpass and viaduct program was reached by the City Commission and the Railroad officials and bids are expected to be advertised for the construction of the various units within the next thirty days.

Scheduled additions for 1929

$4 M Viaduct and Underpass Program

Four Million Dollar Viaduct Program Underway

Work in the Twenty Second Street viaduct, the first link in the $4 M viaduct and underpass project was started.  The new span will replace the old wooden structure, which is one of the city's landmarks.  It will cost $180k and will be of reinforced concrete and will be 1,000 feet long and 70 feet wide.  It is scheduled to be completed Sept. 1st.
Contract for the work was awarded to Millsap and Parker, Birmingham contractors.

 Officials of the L&N RR Company announced this company would spend approximately $20 M for track, improvements and additions during 1929.  Birmingham will have its share in this expenditure to the extent of several million dollars worth.

Work on the 22nd St. viaduct will be completed by July 15, it was announced, and the laying of streetcar tracks and paving the roadway will require about a month.  The project is scheduled to be open to the public on September 1.

Work was started on the retaining wall along the north side of the L&N tracks from 14th to 18th streets, which will be built at a cost of $70k, a major step toward completion of the city's grade separation program.

Formal dedication of the $250k 21st (sic) Street Viaduct was conducted and it was thrown open to the public.

Work was commenced on the 14th street underpass, following the issuance of a building permit for the construction this project to cost $69k, to a representative of the Gould Contracting Co of Nashville, which concern was awarded the contract.

 14th Street underpass will open Oct. 1 for use to the public it was announced.

Contract for the construction of the 20th and 18th street underpasses was awarded by the City Commission to the Dunn Construction Company on a bid of $13,000.  Work will begin on this work about October 15, when the 14th street underpass is completed.

The last concrete has been poured on the 14th street underpass and preparations are being made to close the RR crossings at 20th and 18th streets that work on the underpasses at these points may be started.

The 14th street underpass, first unit of its kind in Birmingham's $4M grade separation project, was completed and opened to the public.  Work was started on the other underpasses.

Work is expected to start on the 20th and 18th street underpasses about Dec 15 following the opening of bids and awarding of the contracts.  The cost of the two projects is estimated at $360k.
 
 

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