From the Trussville Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Details about downtown Trussville’s facelift emerged last week during the first “Let’s Talk Trussville” Town Hall Panel event at the Trussville Civic Center.
If you missed the March 6 event that was presented by Alabama Power and hosted by the Trussville Tribune, we’ve got you covered.
The most-asked questions focused on how traffic will be handled, where visitors are going to park in the redesigned downtown and what restaurants and other new businesses are coming as part of the redevelopment project.
Mayor Buddy Choat, traffic engineer J.T. Murphy and architect Dave Reese outlined plans for the new downtown as panelists at “Let’s Talk Trussville,” while others involved in the project answered questions from the overflow crowd of 400.
Here is a breakdown of the top three topics addressed at “Let’s Talk Trussville.”
TRAFFIC
Many are worried about how traffic will get through downtown Trussville after the influx of new buildings, businesses and visitors pack Trussville as part of the redevelopment project.
Traffic engineers hired by the City of Trussville introduced plans for a new way to circulate traffic better through downtown.
Panelist J.T. Murphy with CCI Planning & Engineering outlined plans to divide the downtown traffic pattern into a four-quadrant loop with connector roads that lead from Highway 11 to Chalkville Mountain Road from four directions. These roads will provide new options for drivers to get around Trussville without needing to pass all the way through downtown.
Here’s how the quadrants break down:
Quad 1 loop extends existing Beech Street to Cedar Street, which leads drivers to Highway 11 from Chalkville Mountain Road.
Quad 2 loop connects Railroad Avenue to City Hall Drive, a section that has already been completed.
Quad 3 loop extends Vann Circle to Chalkville Mountain Road where it meets up with Talley Street. Vann Circle is accessible from Highway 11 next to the new Edgar’s Bakery, where a new traffic light is also planned.
Quad 4 loop connects Glenn Avenue off Highway 11 to Talley Road, which would lead drivers from Highway 11 to Chalkville Mountain Road.
Many families live within walking distance of downtown Trussville, so plans also include added and expanded crosswalks throughout the area, along with six- to eight-foot wide sidewalks.
“We want it to be set up where people can get out of their cars and sit in the shade; where they will bring their families and walk from business to business,” said Ryan Collins, landscape architect with Dix.Hite + Partners at the “Let’s Talk Trussville” panel.
Mayor Choat said other roads are being expanded in Trussville to alleviate traffic headaches that lead up to downtown, such as connecting Valley Road to the Pinnacle shopping center and improvements at Green Drive by Wendy’s on Chalkville Mountain Road.
PARKING
The city has plans, so far, for 407 new parking spaces in downtown Trussville.
Choat announced at the panel that the city is buying two blocks of property along Morrow Avenue that, combined with other parcels, would be turned into a parking lot with 400 spaces. Designs also include on-street parking on Beech Street.
Several residents asked if there are plans for a larger parking structure like a deck or garage. Choat said the city is in early talks with a firm in Florida about overseeing that construction but did not say where it would be built.
The city is also in talks with officials with the shopping center that includes Fresh Value Marketplace to use their parking during busy event times.
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
One of the highlights of the redevelopment project is creation of an entertainment district that would provide a gathering spot for families.
The city has put together 12 acres of contiguous land between the railroad and Highway 11 at Beech Street and Morrow Avenue for the entertainment district.
The project will come to life through a public/private partnership between the city and developers, said Dave Reese, architect with Turner Batson. Plans for that area include a stage, a second new brewery named Ferus that will have a fast-casual restaurant with open-air seating and event space within the brewery. An ice cream parlor is also planned there.
Renderings show a design that ties into the nearby Cahaba River, including a fountain. The designs for the new buildings were inspired by Trussville’s landmark properties within the neighborhoods located behind downtown along Chalkville Mountain Road, Reese said.
“We wanted the design to be you,” Reese said.
Plans in the entertainment district include several condos above the retail development on Morrow Avenue, which would bring residential property to the area, he said.
When asked about getting existing properties to match the downtown designs, Choat said the Redevelopment Authority offers façade grants to help current business owners fund an upgrade.