Better Birmingham

08/10/2026

The traffic circle that was recently installed in Crestwood has been updated with some lovely flowers 💐🌹💐

08/09/2026

08/05/2026

What if I told you this is the same streetcar?

The first photo shows Birmingham Electric streetcar No. 1077 carrying passengers through the streets of San Francisco today. The second shows that very same car doing exactly the same job in Birmingham decades ago.

For much of the first half of the 20th century, Birmingham was built around an extensive electric trolley network that connected neighborhoods, jobs, parks, and shopping districts. It wasn't unusual to live without a car because the city itself was designed around reliable transit.

As the decades passed, priorities changed. Streetcars disappeared, highways expanded, and development increasingly assumed everyone would drive. Many neighborhoods became harder to reach without a car, distances between destinations grew, and transportation options narrowed. We didn't just lose a way to get around. We lost a different vision for how a city could function.

But infrastructure isn't permanent.

Every street, lane, intersection, and transit line around us exists because someone chose to build it. Those choices can change. Cities across North America are investing once again in streetcars, bus rapid transit, protected bike lanes, and walkable neighborhoods because today's challenges demand new solutions.

Birmingham's trolley network reminds us that our transportation system has never been fixed. If we built a city that prioritized transit before, we can build one that gives people more choices again.

The question isn't whether change is possible. History already answered that.



Photo credits: Historic Birmingham streetcar photo courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library Archives. Modern San Francisco photo © Roger Wagner, used under CC BY 2.0. Source: Flickr/Wikimedia Commons. �

07/26/2026

Our weekly summary of The Birmingham City Council agendas is up, link in bio

07/07/2026

ALDOT is updating Alabama’s Statewide Transportation Plan, and public input matters.

The West Central Region meeting will be held Monday, July 13, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the ALDOT Tuscaloosa Area Office, 2715 Skyland East Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405.

This plan helps guide transportation investments through 2050, including roads, bridges, transit, rail, walking, biking, freight, airports and waterways. These decisions shape safety, mobility, access and quality of life across Alabama.

Residents from Bibb, Chilton, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties are encouraged to attend, ask questions and share what transportation priorities matter most in their communities.

Better streets start with better public input.

07/06/2026

A tunnel isn't just infrastructure. It's freedom.
The U.S. 31 pedestrian tunnel in Homewood is one of those pieces of infrastructure that's easy to overlook until it's gone.
For more than 100 students at SCE, this tunnel provides a safe route to school without having to cross one of the busiest highways in the area. It also gives neighbors a way to reach grocery stores, parks, businesses, and transit without getting in a car.
Projects like this remind us that transportation isn't only about moving vehicles. It's about giving people safe, reliable ways to reach the places that matter most. A well-designed pedestrian connection creates independence for children, older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone who chooses to walk or bike.
We're excited to see Homewood investing in this important connection with improved lighting, landscaping, and accessibility. We also hope that during construction, temporary safety measures are put in place so families who depend on this route can continue to travel safely.
The best infrastructure is often the kind you barely notice because it quietly improves everyday life. This tunnel is proof that investing in people makes our communities stronger.

06/30/2026

For most of human history, streets weren't built just for getting from Point A to Point B. They were where life happened.

The historic photos tell that story. Streets were bustling public spaces where people walked, shopped, talked with neighbors, children played, vendors sold their goods, and communities gathered. The street belonged to everyone.

Fast forward to today, and we've flipped that idea on its head. Most of our public right of way is now dedicated to moving and storing cars, while the people who actually live, work, and shop along those streets are often confined to narrow sidewalks at the edges.

That's why events like neighborhood block parties, Open Streets, and community rides feel so special. For a few hours, we get a glimpse of what our streets can be when people come first. Kids run freely. Neighbors meet each other. Local businesses spill out onto the sidewalk. Cyclists and pedestrians fill the space with conversation instead of traffic noise.

These events aren't about banning cars. They're about reminding us that streets are our largest public spaces, and they can serve more than one purpose.

Sometimes, the best way to imagine a better city is to experience it for just one afternoon.

06/27/2026

Walkable City by Jeff Speck goes well with Sour Pash at Avondale Brewing Company

06/07/2026

Birmingham City Council will be holding a public hearing on the Data Center Ordinance on Tuesday, June 9th, at 9:30am in Council Chambers. No sign up is require to speak at a public hearing. Participants are allowed 3 minutes to speak on the subject.