HUNTSVILLE – Plans for the Pedestrian Access and Redevelopment Corridor (PARC) are moving ahead following approval at Thursday’s Huntsville City Council meeting of engineering design contracts associated that meet state and federal grant requirements.

A $1,929,000 contract with Rosales + Partners will finalize plans for the cable suspension bridge across Memorial Parkway. The contract scope includes permitting, testing, specifications, details and peer review.

A $999,978 contract with Garver LLC will outline plans for Pinhook Creek channel improvements. The contract scope includes permitting, structural design, hardscape and landscape features.

The City has previously received two Federal Highway Administration grants totaling $47.3 million to help fund the project. The State of Alabama also provided $5 million. Components of the PARC project include:
• 1.2 miles of linear park space
• 5,600 feet of Pinhook Creek channel excavation
• 3,200 feet of low-flow channel along Pinhook Creek
• 6,000 linear feet of greenway
• Three precast pedestrian bridges over Pinhook Creek
• One concrete railroad bridge replacing the wooden bridge adjacent to Heart of Huntsville Drive
• 1,400 feet of pedestrian cable suspension bridge

The two-year construction project will be completed in four phases with the Pinhook Creek flood mitigation improvements expected to begin by the end of the year.

“This is a necessary procedural step in the project, and we are excited to start construction soon,” Director of Urban & Economic Development Shane Davis said. “This is a transformational project that meets the infrastructure demands of a growing city.”

Project goals

The key aspect of PARC is connectivity.  The project will safely connect the downtown, Mill Creek and Lowe Mill communities via greenways and a suspended pedestrian bridge.  These three areas are currently separated by two major state and federal roadways: U.S. 231 and U.S. 431/AL53.

The project will also include major enhancements along Pinhook Creek in the downtown district to reduce flooding and improve the floodplain along the creek. Upon completion, the Pinhook Creek area will feature new public recreation amenities while also connecting multiple neighborhoods.

“This project has been a continuous goal for the City since 2006,” said Shane Davis, Huntsville’s Director of Urban & Economic Development. “The completion of the project will provide a safe multimodal hub for pedestrian and bicycle connectivity for multiple areas of Huntsville as well as new downtown recreation opportunities. Over time, the City will use this project to connect north and south Huntsville, Five Points, Lowe Mill, John Hunt Park and even Research Park with alternate modes of mobility.”

It will also offer a significant boost to low-income communities by providing access to health care and employment opportunities to about 5,000 people who live within a half mile of the project area.

“This is one of those quality-of-life projects that will have enormous benefits for anyone who lives, works and plays downtown,” Mayor Battle said. “We are grateful for our local, state and federal partners who helped secure this last piece of the puzzle. “I especially thank Sen. Richard Shelby and his team for their assistance in procuring the grant, as well as Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Gov. Kay Ivey, who went above and beyond in expressing their support for the project.”