Red Mountain Cut development! (Birmingham, Hoover: employment, theater, living in)

[GotLuv4Bham]

The Red Mountain cut project seems to be gaining momentum! This development will give Downtown Birmingham a unique attraction that can't easily be duplicated in other cities! Views of downtown are going to be impressive!

https://comebacktown.com/2023/10/26/...ral-new-video/


https://bhamnow.com/2023/10/26/red-m...gs-of-project/

[GotLuv4Bham]

Here's a link to the projects website!

https://redmountaincut.org/

[Nemean]

One of the most necessary, but difficult parts needed for a regional trail system to be more than just recreation

Have to admit, the trailer is one of the best local commercials I've ever seen regarding something in Bham

[steveklein]

Does anyone really think anything resembling this rendering is going to happen? I doubt it.

[GotLuv4Bham]

I remember some saying the same about Regions Field, Protective Stadium, Railroad Park, CityWalk Birmingham, Crossplex, the new Amphitheater, and many other successful projects in the city! Their doubts aged horribly! Lol! Stay tuned!

[bfmx1]

Where does it start and where does it go? Anywhere that people on foot need to get to? Maybe if it was part of a much larger trail system or something. I don't see it serving any purpose other than being cool.

But, what about safety? Would a female ever jog alone on it? In case of emergency there's nowhere to run.

Definitely looks cool though!

How about a zipline or gondola from Vulcan to Regions tower? At least it would serve a really cool commuting purpose and be a national treasure. Even GotLuv agrees with me on this I bet.

[johnsonkk]

Timeline is less than two years according to website. Mix of private and public funding. Total cost?

The express purpose is for fitness and outdoor recreation. No mention of commuters, etc.

[bfmx1]

How long would it be? That's like 2 to 3 miles of unescapable assaults waiting to happen. Railings would have to be taller to detract jumpers. I still don't know who lives around the zoo that wants to walk into UAB. It would make it easier for the homeless to get to starbucks in the Village though.

[TimCity2000]

Although technically it would become part of the Red Rock Trail System, it seems more likely to be a "destination" than serve any useful type of pedestrian connectivity. But I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with that. It could be a pretty cool recreational trail for those living in and around Highland Park and English Village.

As for whether it gets built in the exact form shown, who knows? The list of supporters seems promising, and a lot of effort has been put into the initial design.

[Nemean]

Originally Posted by bfmx1

How long would it be? That's like 2 to 3 miles of unescapable assaults waiting to happen. Railings would have to be taller to detract jumpers. I still don't know who lives around the zoo that wants to walk into UAB. It would make it easier for the homeless to get to starbucks in the Village though.

It's not primarily for commuting. The Cut is a designated National Natural Landmark and been underutilized as such ever since the Red Mountain Museum merged with Discovery Place and moved downtown as the McWane Center. It mentions the "commuter aim" is to be able to join Vulcan, Railroad Park, Lane Park (Zoo and the Botanical Gardens) with downtown Homewood, Five Points South and the Mountain Brook and English Villages.

That doesn't read as a commuter goal. While downtown's grown, the metro's become not merely multi-nodal, but almost completely diffused in terms of where employment centers are (with nowhere other than downtown exactly being a pure node, but enough disparate bigger office parks/industrial zones across town that saying downtown as the single work node is a bit incorrect). What has grown is its food and entertainment options. Overall, this project reads more as establishing a large "staycation" or tourist hub for the Birmingham area that enables pedestrian access to a lot of the best shops and dining in the area.

The Cut is a major bottleneck for the continued development of the area. It's at the point where the regular commuter traffic of 280 is a detriment to a "tourist" experience of adding those Over the Mountain parts to the itinerary. And that's a lost for all municipalities involved. And its not like 280 is built out. Cahaba Heights is actively getting denser and more of a "visitable suburb" feel like Homewood and Mountain Brook. It's also starting in the Grand View/Altadena area. Hoover also has it mentioned in its plans to make the Meadowbrook Office Park as a city tech hub (nearby walkable shops to support it) as it wants to shift from bedroom city to more of almost twin city in its own right.

The walkway won't be a fix for the incoming traffic concerns if growth in the area continues as it has, but it will at least be able at least keep local retail and parks from being as dragged down by it as they otherwise would be. Otherwise you'd have to hope for superb public transportation to come along (don't get your hopes up for that any time soon).