Major Streetscaping Project in Downtown Tuscaloosa Starts Monday

The city's $4.3 million project to transform Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa will begin next week and run through the summer, they advised on Thursday.

As the Thread exclusively reported in March, city officials are planning to remove a traffic lane and expand pedestrian access in a two-block area downtown near Chuck's Fish, the Bama Theatre and the under-renovation site that will host Slim's Pizzeria.

The project will also increase sidewalk widths, add streetscaping and landscaping, and create dedicated delivery zones between University Boulevard and 7th Street.

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That work will begin Monday, May 4th, and a city spokesperson said in a press release that the project is expected to wrap up before the first home football game of the Alabama Crimson Tide's 2026 season.

The job is expected to cost $4.3 million, funded by the Elevate Tuscaloosa sales tax plan.

"Throughout the construction process, expect road and lane closures. Pedestrian access to local businesses on Greensboro Avenue will remain open," the city wrote. "To stay informed on construction progress and sign up for email updates, please visit tuscaloosaroads.com/Greensboro. For any questions regarding road closures, please contact Tuscaloosa 311."

This job comes amid a number of other conversations about transportation and pedestrian safety downtown.

“As our downtown continues to grow, pedestrian safety and accessibility remain top priorities. We are excited to begin the Greensboro Avenue improvements project next month," Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox told the Thread. "Developed in close coordination with nearby businesses, once completed in late summer, this project will improve traffic flow, strengthen pedestrian access and safety, and increase economic vibrancy with enhanced streetscaping and dedicated areas for ride shares and loading zones."

Maddox and his team have also proposed making the streets of nearby Temerson Square one-directional, and also pitched adding a new parking lot in the downtown River District.

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