J. Reyes
EN 319
Feasibility Study
Proposal to Improve Pedestrian Pathways Over the past several years the city of Tuscaloosa has undergone multiple constructive changes and additions to help improve the appearance and attitude of the city. Some of these changes and additions include several new restaurants and retail locations downtown, reconstruction and clean up efforts on 15th street and other areas damaged by the April 27th, 2011 tornadoes, and construction of additional off campus student housing. Tuscaloosa is an up-and-coming city that is heavily trafficked by prospective students, current students, alumni, family and friends, university faculty and staff, business professionals, and permanent city residents. Due to the high volume of people currently flowing through the area, it is extremely important that all aspects of the community reflect the positive changes and additions being made.
In 2003 the University Neighborhood Partnership Committee (UNPC) proposed a plan that was to be carried out over several years to improve the quality of life in several neighborhoods adjacent to the University of Alabama. The plan is still currently in action and the committee is working hard to improve these neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Partnership Committee is made up of students, off-campus neighbors, business owners, community leaders, city officials, University police officers, city police, ABC Board officials, and University administrators. This diverse group of individuals has made it their goal to improve the relationships and communication between students, law enforcement, neighbors, and business professionals and thus proactively address issues that are mutually concerning to all individuals represented. The University Neighborhood Partnership Committee’s planning area, referred to as The University Neighborhood Planning area, is bounded on the north by the Black Warrior River, on the east by McFarland Boulevard, on the south by Fifteenth Street, and on the west by Queen City Avenue. “However, for purposes of this Specific Plan, the planning area does not include the dominant land use, landowners, employers or traffic generators, which are the University of Alabama, Bryce Hospital and Druid City Hospital” (KPS Group, Page 3). (Please refer to page 5, M1, to view a map of the described area.)
The UNPC is a determined group of individuals that has made it their mission to improve a very prestigious area of the City of Tuscaloosa. The committee recognizes and conveys that this is a long-term commitment and a step-by-step project. As a student of the University of Alabama and an off-campus resident in the University Neighborhood Planning Area, I respect and appreciate the hard work and dedications the committee has done to improve the quality of our city and understand that these improvements take time. However, because they have such a large planning area and so many improvement projects to plan and execute, it is likely that areas needing more urgent attention may get overlooked.
This proposal is to improve pedestrian pathways in the area bounded on the south by Fifteenth Street, on the west by Queen City Avenue, on the north by Jack Warner Parkway North East, and on the east by Fourteenth Avenue/ Gene Stallings Avenue. (Please refer to page 5, M2, to view a map of the described area.) The intentions of this proposal, like the University Neighborhood Partnership Committee’s, are to improve the quality of life and integrity of the neighborhoods adjacent to the University of Alabama. The focus of this project however differs from that of the University Neighborhood Partnership Committee in that the area of focus is considerably smaller. By focusing on a smaller area it will be easier to communicate with the residents of the affected area, address their questions and concerns, and carryout the project with confidence that all problems being addressed will be corrected.
This proposal is addressing the need