City Projects

> Road & Sidewalk Projects
> Current Drainage Studies & Project Information
> Emergency Road Closures
> Infrastructure & Community Spaces Plan

Progress Videos

Click the links below to view recent progress videos for each project:

> Altadena Valley Park
> Highway 31 South
> Medical Properties Trust
> Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex
> The Bray at Liberty Park (commercial & residential)
> Wald Park

Road & Sidewalk Projects

Periodic delays should be anticipated in all project areas – please drive with caution. If you have any questions or concerns, contact City of Vestavia Hills Department of Public Services at 205.978.0150 or publicservices@vhal.org.

If you are experiencing any issues with restoration following utility work being done at your residence or place of business, please submit your complaint via Vestavia Hills Connect (https://vhal.org/vestavia-hills-connect) or call 205.978.0150.

Road

Massey Road – Roadway and sidewalk improvements are planned along Massey Road from Highway 31 to Columbiana Road. This is partially a federally funded project, administered by the Alabama Department of Transportation. A 20% match of City funds has been used for the design and will be used for construction of the project. The project includes sidewalk improvements, drainage improvements, new retaining wall, shoulder improvements, roadway widening, and resurfacing. The anticipated construction start date is December 2024, and the project should take 9 months to complete.

Roundabout at Sicard Hollow Road and Blue Lake Drive – Construction is underway to build a roundabout at the intersection of Sicard Hollow Road and Blue Lake Drive to improve the overall safety and operations of the intersection.

This is in partnership with Jefferson County, with construction efforts being led by the County. The intersection was originally studied through the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham’s Advanced Planning, Programming, and Logical Engineering (APPLE) program in 2019, where it was determined that a roundabout was the safest and most efficient improvement alternative to address existing congestion and safety issues, particularly during peak travel times.

The City entered into a 50/50 cost-sharing agreement with Jefferson County to fund the project. Construction began in March 2024. After some major delays during the utility relocation phase, construction has resumed, and the anticipated completion date is Spring 2025.

Highway 31 and Columbiana Road Intersection Improvements – Construction activities are underway for an intersection improvement project at Columbiana Road and Highway 31. This project is in partnership with Jefferson County and the Alabama Department of Transportation to improve the overall safety and operations of the intersection.

The project includes lane reconfiguration through striping modifications, enhanced signage, traffic signal modifications/upgrades, access management and asphalt resurfacing along Columbiana Road and Highway 31 within the limits of the project area. The project is anticipated to be complete by end of 2024/early 2025.

Sidewalk

Pedestrian Bridge – A pedestrian bridge is planned to span across Highway 31 in the vicinity of Wald Park and the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest. The purpose of the project is to provide a link to the existing sidewalk system that connects the City’s schools, libraries, parks and other features/amenities, and to improve the overall mobility and safety of pedestrians crossing Highway 31. This is partially a federally funded project, administered by the Alabama Department of Transportation. A 20% match of City funds has been used for the design and construction of the project. Construction began in August 2024 and is currently tracking for a summer 2025 completion. Click to view design rendering #1 and design rendering #2, as well as the design information and location.

Sidewalk Master Plan – The City of Vestavia Hills continues to install sidewalks to improve pedestrian connectivity. The City of Vestavia Hills has a multi-year sidewalk master plan to guide these efforts.

The City of Vestavia Hills’ Sidewalk Masterplan is meant to serve as a guiding document for future pedestrian projects to further connect the citizens of Vestavia Hills to the commercial areas and gathering spaces throughout the City. This map is not meant to be all inclusive. It does not give a timeline for if/when these sidewalks and paths will be completed nor does it indicate what entity will build or fund the project.

Note that commercial districts along Highway 31, Rocky Ridge Road, Cahaba Heights Road, Crosshaven Drive and Green Valley Road have sidewalks shown on both sides of the road to provide additional walkable access to these areas.

Future sidewalks shown in Liberty Park are based upon masterplan information provided by Liberty Park Joint Venture. Future pedestrian elements to provide further connectivity are currently being studied and evaluated.

Click to view the draft sidewalk master plan and Resolution 5122: Sidewalk Construction Policy.

Paving

Pavement Management – The City of Vestavia Hills recently engaged an external provider to assess the condition of all Vestavia Hills streets. The provider filmed each street, assessed the condition of the road and provided City staff with a ranked listing of streets in need of repaving or repairs. Over the course of fiscal year 2023, multiple streets have been paved and paving will continue in the order dictated by the plan. 2022-2025 Paving List & Resolution 5190: Rebuild Alabama Act

Click to View Current Drainage Studies & Project Information

Emergency Road Closures

CLOSED: None

Be sure to follow Vestavia Hills Police and Fire on social media for up-to-the-minute, accurate information:
VHFD – Facebook: @VestaviaHillsFire
VHPD – Facebook: @VestaviaHillsPolice; Twitter: @VHPD1032

Report emergencies, including downed trees, downed power lines or other urgent road conditions, by calling 911. Non-emergencies can be reported by calling the VHPD Desk Sergeant at 205.978.0140.

Report a power outage online at https://bit.ly/ALPwrOutage or call 800.888.2726.

Infrastructure & Community Spaces Plan

The Infrastructure & Community Spaces Plan is a comprehensive proposal for improvements to a broad range of activities throughout the City of Vestavia Hills. This plan was initially based on the following strategic drivers established in the 2015 Recreation and Athletics Master Plan and has since been expanded to include not only recreational facilities, but also community infrastructure improvements.

  • Reposition quality of life assets to reflect the Vestavia Hills brand and effectively recruit and retain families
  • Elevate the quality of existing facilities to comprehensively serve the recreational interests of all members of the community regardless of age
  • Increase the capacity of City athletic facilities to ensure that Vestavia Hills youth sports programs deliver a high impact and consistent experience that result in the athletic and personal development of all participants

Plan Components

Prior to development of plan recommendations, stakeholders (residents, business owners, City staff, City board members, etc.) completed various online surveys and participated in a series of public engagement meetings to aid in determining the most important quality-of-life amenities for the Vestavia Hills community. Following are those plan components, along with estimated project costs. Questions or comments? Visit https://vhal.org/vestavia-hills-listens and select “Community Spaces Plan questions and comments.”

Altadena Valley Park
Vestavia Hills annexed the former Altadena Valley Country Club property on September 28, 2015. This property now serves as a 70-acre passive park bordered by a 22-acre subdivision  (approximately 66 homes). Although Altadena Valley Park is to remain a passive park, improvements have been made so that residents may access and enjoy the park to the fullest extent. Community meetings were held November 29, 2021 so that residents, along with adjacent property owners, could review and comment on the proposed plans. 

>> Visit https://www.altadenavalleypark.com for the most up-to-date project information.

2015 Master Plan Concept. Click to view the 2015 Council-approved Ordinance (2598) and Master Plan Concept for this property that included:

    • 4 rectangle fields with appropriate lighting (soccer, football, lacrosse)
    • 2 diamond fields with appropriate lighting (baseball, soccer)
    • Approximately 500 parking spaces
    • 25-acre passive park

A new parking lot was completed in December and work to construct a restroom facility will be underway in the near future. Additional improvements being considered for Altadena Valley Park are intended to enhance the park while maintaining its status as a passive park. Click to view the 2021 Master Plan Concept – proposed November 29, 2021. Considerations include:

    • Approximately 4 miles of connected walking/biking paths
    • Playground
    • Canoe launch
    • Archery range
    • BMX Pump Track
    • Disc golf course
    • Restoration of pond & bridge
    • Wildflower masses

Aquatic Complex (Wald Park)
The Aquatic Complex at Wald Park officially opened September 5, 2020 and features a competition pool and a family-style leisure pool. The family-style leisure pool features a zero-step entry, interactive water features and a swirling vortex offered specifically to entertain our youngest swimmers. The competition pool is designed for intermediate to advanced swimmers and offers a 12’ diving well, four dedicated lap lanes and an open swim area. Also within the pool area are lounge chairs for tanning in the sun or relaxing in shady areas, restrooms/locker rooms and a concessions area with a dedicated covered dining space.

Cahaba Heights Park
The state-of-the-art Cahaba Heights Park was the first of the Community Spaces projects to be completed and officially opened August 14, 2020. The 10-acre park was built to replace an aging baseball complex located behind Vestavia Hills Elementary – Cahaba Heights and features four turfed ballfields, along with a new field house, batting cages, an inclusive playground and a dog park. Click to view the July 7, 2020 drone video.

Civic Center
The new Vestavia Hills Civic Center officially opened to the public on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. This nearly 100,000-sf facility houses multi-purpose recreation courts (for basketball, volleyball, badminton, pickleball, etc.), an indoor walking track, meeting and event spaces, a 10,000-sf banquet space with warming kitchen, office spaces and the Vestavia Hills Sports Hall of Fame. The Civic Center is adjacent to City Hall and, in addition to the primary entrance, has a secondary entrance/exit from the 2nd floor that allows for easy access to the City Hall lawn.

Crosshaven Drive
After engaging a third-party consultant in 2018 to conduct an extensive Corridor Study, suggested recommendations for improvements to improve traffic flow and promote pedestrian connectivity included widening of Crosshaven Drive to a continuous three lane cross section as well as installation of sidewalks from Overton Road to Cahaba Heights Road. Following these recommendations, City of Vestavia Hills project work to Crosshaven Drive included the following improvements:

    • Road widening: continuous three-lane road cross section (with dedicated left turn lane) from Overton Rd to Cahaba Heights Rd
    • Sidewalk installation: continuous sidewalk along Crosshaven Drive
    • Curb and gutter system installation to more effectively manage stormwater
    • Creation of dedicated right turn lanes at Greendale Rd, Bearden Ct and Green Valley Rd
    • Upgrade and relocation of utilities (water, sanitary sewer, gas, telecommunications and power)
    • Click to view the original project map

In addition, the Green Valley/Crosshaven intersection was also improved in partnership with Jefferson County. The work to this intersection included:

    • Additional widening and turn lane improvements
    • Traffic signal modification
    • Drainage improvements to accommodate current and future traffic volumes

New Merkel House
Construction of the (new) New Merkel House and adjacent dog park completed spring 2021. A Ribbon Cutting was held to officially open the facility on April 29, 2021.

Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex (AML Grant Project)
Newly constructed pavilion and futsal/pickleball courts officially opened on November 7, 2020 and have been nearly filled to capacity ever since! For more information, visit https://vhal.org/departments/parks-recreation.

Wald Park
Wald Park has undergone extensive renovations on its path to becoming a state-of-the-art park, built to replace an aging complex located on Highway 31 South. Wald Park was renovated in three phases, the last of which was completed in December 2023. Renovations include an Aquatic Complex with leisure and competition pools; a baseball complex with three turfed baseball fields, adjacent batting cages and field house; a dedicated Miracle League Field; two inclusive playgrounds; a multi-purpose Grand Lawn; six tennis courts; six pickleball courts; a dog park; and walking trails.

A major component of the Wald Park renovation is the new Miracle League Field. The natural grass fields typically available in conventional leagues are the primary barrier that prevent children with mental and physical disabilities from enjoying America’s favorite pastime. The Miracle League Field provides a dedicated space to play and practice on a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assertive devices while helping to prevent injuries. More than 200 athletes, parents, community members and special guests attended the grand opening event on November 15, 2020 to celebrate this wonderful amenity to our community. The inaugural season opened on April 11, 2021 and concluded on May 23, 2021 with an awards ceremony.

Estimated Costs*

Crosshaven Drive Road Capacity & Sidewalk Improvement Project: $5,033,888
Sidewalk Installation: $2,500,000
Road Paving: $2,200,000
Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements: $550,000
Wald Park (including Aquatic Complex): $24,369,662
Cahaba Heights Park: $7,390,054
Civic Center: $16,326,131
Refinance Civic Center Property (former Gold’s Gym): $8,900,000
(new) New Merkel House: $864,555

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $68,134,290

*Cost information is updated as true costs or estimate changes occur.

Activity Updates

  • November 29, 2022: Grand Opening event for Vestavia Hills Civic Center.
  • May 29, 2021: Opening day for the summer swim season at the Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex.
  • April 29, 2021: Ribbon Cutting and reception celebrating the completion of the New Merkel House.
  • April 11, 2021: Opening day for the Miracle League at the new Wald Park Miracle League Field.
  • February 27, 2021: Opening day for youth baseball at the new Cahaba Heights and Wald Park baseball complexes.
  • November 15, 2020: Grand Opening event for the Miracle League Field at Wald Park.
  • November 7, 2020: Opening day for the new futsal and pickleball courts at SHAC.
  • September 5, 2020: Opening day for the Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex.
  • August 14, 2020: Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting celebrating the opening of the Cahaba Heights Park.
  • May 28, 2020: The Council unanimously approved Resolution 5246, acceptance of a bid for landscaping at Cahaba Heights Park.
  • May 18, 2020: Bid opening for New Merkel House project, including adjacent dog park.
  • May 11, 2020: The Council unanimously approved Resolution 5232, acceptance of a bid for the Vestavia Hills Community Building project. The low bidder is Amason & Associates.
  • April 13, 2020: The Council reviewed enhanced options for playground equipment at Wald and Cahaba Heights Parks, including the budget required for each option.
    Click HERE to view the GameTime slideshow of enhanced options.
    Click HERE to view the executive summary, including budget.
  • April 2, 2020: Video of Wald Park progress.
  • March 30, 2020: City Council voted unanimously to accept a bid for the East Street sidewalk project (Resolution 5230). Council also introduced as new business, a resolution accepting bid for the Crosshaven Drive Improvement Project (Resolution 5231).
  • March 2 & 3, 2020: Community meetings were offered for stakeholders to review options and provide input for the playground equipment to be purchased and installed at Wald Park & Cahaba Heights Park.
    Click HERE to view the GameTime slideshow of options.
    Click HERE to view the video of the March 2 meeting.
  • February 17, 2020: The Community Building bid tabulation was discussed at the Council work session. Bid approval will be on the agenda for the Monday, March 9, 2020 Council meeting with a request for unanimous approval. If approved, the next phase of work at the Community Building is TBD. Click HERE to view the bid tab. 
  • January 29-30, 2020: TCU presented an update to the Community Spaces budget to the Council during the annual Strategic Planning Session. TCU representatives were asked to participate in a special called Council Work Session on February 10, 2020 for the purpose of presenting Community Spaces Plan updates, including detailed information regarding budget overruns.
  • November 13, 2019: City Council voted to officially name the Cahaba Heights athletic fields “Cahaba Heights Park.”
  • August 26, 2019: Resolution 5183, a resolution accepting a bid for SHAC improvements, was unanimously approved during the regular meeting of the Council. Improvements will be funded by the previously awarded $750,000 Mine Reclamation Grant and will include an extension to the existing trail system, as well as the building of a pavilion and sport courts for futsal and pickleball play. In addition to these base bid items, an alternate bid for $34,000 may be accepted in the future for the building of sand volleyball courts. Click HERE to view a rendering of the proposed SHAC improvements.

    A TCU representative presented project updates, which included the following active projects:
    – Wald Park: Selective demolition, clearing and mass grading are ongoing. A tremendous amount of earth has been moved in the past months, but the park will soon begin to take shape as crews dig out the pool area, clear and grade the dog park area, etc.
    – Cahaba Heights Athletic Fields: Most of the demolition on this job site is complete but there is a small amount of clearing and grading that remains. Safety is always a high-priority, but particularly on this job site given its proximity to VHECH. As such, TCU and City staff are in constant contact with the Board of Education to be sure project status, timelines, etc. are fully communicated.
    – Community Building: Project estimating is underway for the construction/renovation of the Community Building. TCU is evaluating all functions of the facility to be sure all programmatic items are included in the estimate and subsequent bid process. Once complete, the estimate will be presented to the Council for review/approval prior to entering the bid process.
  • July 19, 2019: The Wald Park bid tabulation was discussed at the Council work session. Bid approval will be on the agenda for the Monday, July 22 Council meeting with a request for unanimous approval. If approved, the next phase of work at Wald Park will begin July 25, 2019. Click HERE to view the bid tab. 
  • June 25, 2019: City Manager Jeff Downes hosted a Lunch & Learn where he presented an update on the construction plans for Cahaba Heights Athletic Complex, Wald Park and the Community Building. Click HERE to view the presentation. Click HERE to view the presentation notes (provided by Councilor Kimberly Cook).
  • June 24, 2019: Updated project dates were presented during the City Council meeting. (See above)
  • June 10, 2019: Construction documents for the Wald Park and Community Building projects were presented during the City Council Work Session by representatives from TCU. Click HERE to view the full presentation. At the Council meeting, the bid for renovation/construction of the Cahaba Heights athletic complex was unanimously approved. The low bidder is Stone Building LLC and their bid is within the constraints of previously established budget for this project. The bid documents are available for viewing in the June 10, 2019 Council Agenda Packet at https://vhal.org/government/agendas/.
  • March 12, 2019: City Manager Jeff Downes presented an update on the Infrastructure & Community Spaces Plan at the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Click HERE to view the presentation.
  • February 4, 2019: The Wald Park, Cahaba Heights Athletic Fields and Community Building projects have moved into the Design Development stage. Design drawings/renderings for these projects were presented during the City Council Work Session by representatives from Williams Blackstock Architects. Click HERE to view the full presentation.
  • October 15, 2018: Design considerations for the Cahaba Heights Athletic Fields and the Community Building were presented and discussed during the City Council work session.
  • September 24, 2018: Ordinance Number 2801 – an Ordinance accepting a bid for the Wald Park Initial Site Package – was approved by unanimous vote of the City Council. Site work at Wald Park will commence this week.
  • September 17, 2018: Design considerations for Wald Park were presented and discussed during the City Council work session. Wald Park Tree Save Plan
  • August 20, 2018: TCU CSP Projects Report – July 2018 presented during City Council work session
  • May 14, 2018: The corporate office of Gold’s Gym initiated conversations to reach an agreement for the early termination of the lease contract on property located at 1090 Montgomery Highway, effective June 30, 2018, with a termination payment to the City of Vestavia Hills in the amount of $510,000. The Mayor and City Council approved Resolution 5051, authorizing the City Manager to execute and deliver this full and final settlement agreement, release and lease termination for the Gold’s Gym property. As a part of the Community Spaces Plan, Gold’s Gym will become the new Community Building and will have nearly 90,000-sf of space for people of all ages to utilize for senior programming, arts & crafts, dances, basketball games, etc. This Community Building is just a small part of the overall plan to renovate and replace aging infrastructure and facilities city-wide.
  • April 16, 2018: The City of Vestavia Hills has been awarded a grant from ALDOT (TAP 2018) for $280,000. The grant’s purpose is to construct a sidewalk/trail connection from Gold’s Gym to Wald Park. For additional details of the grant application, along with Governor Ivey’s award letter, visit TAP Grant – Sidewalk Connector. This grant furthers efforts to fully integrate City facilities along Highway 31.
  • April 9, 2018: The City Council voted to approve 1% sales tax and 3% lodging tax increases. To access meeting minutes or to view the archived meeting video, visit Current Agendas & Agenda Packet.
  • April 3, 2018: Town Hall Meeting Presentation
  • January 18, 2018: TCU CSP Plan
  • June 12, 2017: City Council approved Resolution 4951 authorizing the Mayor and City Manager to execute and deliver a contract for the implementation stage of the Community Spaces Plan for a program manager (TCU).
  • May 31, 2017: The City of Vestavia Hills completed the purchase of the 5.27 acre property and 2-story building located at 1090 Montgomery Highway (formerly Gold’s Gym).

Archived Files

 

Planning Projects

  • Traffic Operations APPLE Study (Phase 1)
  • APPLE Potential Intersection Study
  • Dolly Ridge Road & Rocky Ridge Road (Jeff Co) – currently signalized; review signal operations and potential turn lane additions
  • Sicard Hollow Road & Blue Lake Drive (Jeff Co/Bham) – not currently signalized; review for safety, operational and sight line improvements
  • Shades Crest/Rocky Ridge Road/U.S. Highway 280 (Jeff Co/ALDOT) – currently signalized and coordinated with U.S. 280 system; capacity analysis
  • Highway 31 & Shades Crest Road (ALDOT/Jeff Co) – currently signalized; review signal operations and potential turn lane additions
  • Highway 31 & Columbiana Road (ALDOT/Jeff Co) – currently signalized; review signal operations and operational improvements
  • Highway 31/Old Creek Trail/Leona Way (ALDOT) – currently signalized; review signal operations, operational improvements with access management
  • Columbiana Road & Shades Crest/Vestaview (Jeff Co) – currently signalized; pedestrian access
  • Highway 31/City Hall/Sprouts (ALDOT/Jeff Co) – currently signalized; pedestrian access
  • Highway 31/Pizitz Drive (ALDOT/Jeff Co) – currently signalized; pedestrian access
  • River Run Drive & River Run Trail (Jeff Co/Bham) – not signalized; analysis for need to add 3‐way stop or other means of traffic control
  • Jacobs Road & Massey Road (City of Vestavia Hills) – not signalized; review safety and sight line improvements, right‐of‐way constraints
  • Acton Road APPLE Grant (Feasibility Study) – in design phase
  • Wald Park Master Plan – awaiting Community Spaces Plan approval by Council
  • Crosshaven APPLE grant – for more information, visit Crosshaven Drive Corridor Study
  • East Street Analysis and Planning – for more information, visit East Street Data Collection Summary