Tuscaloosa/UA Streetscaping of Bryant Drive

How it will affect Trinity

The design phase which began at the end of last summer is almost complete.  The bidding of general contractors for the project will be let shortly, and work will begin within the next 2-3 months.  The narrow 2-lane portion of Bryant Drive near Queen City Blvd. will be tackled first, since there will be more disruption of traffic there.

The portion of this project in the vicinity of Trinity will have much less disruption, as the main tasks will be:

1.  Replacement of the curbing:

• Creation of handicap-friendly slopes at the intersections, complete with colored dome-like inserts to warn visually limited pedestrians of the upcoming street.

• Creating concrete driveways (to the sidewalk) with the standardized radius for the entire new street.  This will make it easier and safer to turn into the parking lot.  

• The concrete work will be done in a day, except for the driveways which will be done one at a time so we can still have access to our parking lot during the work.

2.  Creating a sloping greenspace between the sidewalk and the curb:

• Removal of the narrow street-side sidewalk.

• Removal of the retaining wall.

• Removal of the two sets of steps between the sidewalk and the curb.

• On learning of the drainage of the window wells from Fellowship Hall to the retaining wall, Mr. Summers said that he would specify that the contractor will intercept these drains and tie them into the storm drains so they will be completely underground (but equipped with manual clean-outs).

• Grading the resulting slope from sidewalk to curb with a 1-foot flat space next to the sidewalk. (will take only one day)

• Placement of sod on the slope.

• Planting of shrub holly in front of the fences of our parking lot.

3.  Planting of oak trees every 50 feet in the greenspace

4.  Erection of ornamental lampposts every 80 feet (will resemble the 

wrought-iron poles for the new traffic lights on campus).  These lamps will have urn-like globes that will provide illumination 180°, so our parking lot and front lawn should be well-lighted after the project is completed.  The lampposts will have UA banners (at least on the UA side of the street).

5.  Resurfacing of Bryant Drive

• Removal of ancient, non-functional water lines from below the right-of-way.

• Laying of asphalt in two phases--half of the street at a time so traffic can continue.  (will be timed to cause minimum disruption, i.e. work to be done only Monday or Tuesday and Thursday or Friday)

• Paint striping of the finished surface in two phases.

The entire "New Bryant Drive" will have underground utilities, but there will be no digging to accomplish this on the Trinity side of the street.  Each stage of the project will be planned so as to minimize the disruption we will experience, and any disruption will be on weekdays (other than Wednesday when they expected us to have programs at the church).  In most instances, each of the things they will do can be done in one day.  Most of our top sidewalk and much of the curb along Bryant drive will not be torn up and replaced, but will be integrated into the project.

So, it seems that we don't have a great deal to fear when we see the construction guys show up in front of Trinity.  As for the loss of the steps in front of the Trinity sanctuary, we will probably ask the chauffer to park the limousine on 8th Avenue at Bryant Drive, and the bride and groom will have to make a left turn as they depart the wedding ceremony.

Frank Summers demonstrating the Bryant streetscape drawings to Brother Alan and Annette Watters

Click on this button to view a large image of the landscape plan for the streetscape project in front of Trinity.

Click on this button to view a large image of the engineering drawings of the streetscape project at the Trinity property