Connectivity in Western Tuscaloosa just got a lot safer with the opening of a new pedestrian bridge.
This $10.6 million project extends over Jack Warner Parkway, connecting Parker-Haun Park with the planned Saban Center. Slated to open in 2026, this new, state-of-the-art interactive learning center will offer science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, theater and outdoor recreation, and allow for coordinated indoor and outdoor programming for children.
TTL was entrusted to bring its civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, and construction materials engineering and testing services for the bridge project.
“Safety is one of our core tenets,” said TTL Project Manager Chris Crawford, PE, “and knowing this bridge will serve children and families for years to come just made it all the more special to all of us here.”
TTL’s civil engineering services also were used for the design and development of the 5-acre Parker-Haun Park, formerly River District Park, that lies adjacent to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater – now named the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater -- and the nearby westward extension of the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk recreational trail.
“I truly believe these projects that are coming along in the heart of my district took patience, took vision, and bring connectivity,” said Tuscaloosa City Councilor Matthew Wilson, who represents this area as part of District 1. “We are recentering the center of West Tuscaloosa.”
Plans for the River District Pedestrian Bridge grew out of discussions for the proposed Saban Center and how to safely connect it to Parker-Haun Park, which is meant to serve as an outdoor extension of the Saban Center.
Funded partially through a federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant, construction on the River District Pedestrian Bridge began in October 2022.
During a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, Tuscaloosa city officials praised the bridge for its safety benefits.
“This is going to be the busiest section of the entire city of Tuscaloosa, with the Saban Center, the amphitheater, and the park,” said Tuscaloosa City Council President Kip Tyner. “It’s all about safety and this is a very proud moment for the city of Tuscaloosa.”
