Shades Creek Greenway Proposed Alignment
Please use the link below to view the planned alignment for the Shades Creek Greenway project. This alignment was selected after many months of careful consideration and evaluation of various alignment options, known flooding events, and existing property lines.
The Shades Creek Greenway is a 1.3-mile City of Birmingham trail project that will connect residents of east Birmingham to the growing Red Rock Trail System. The asphalt trail will run parallel to Shades Creek, connecting the City of Mountain Brook’s popular Irondale Furnace Trail to the City of Birmingham’s Flora Johnston Nature Preserve via a multi-use trail. Spearheaded by District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams, in collaboration with the Freshwater Land Trust, the Shades Creek Greenway promises to enhance connectivity and outdoor recreation opportunities for the community.
View this map in a separate window here.
Project Details
· Most of the corridor is flat and will run along the elevated creek bank.
· The project stretches between the Flora Johnston Nature Preserve Trailhead at Elder Street and Groover Drive/Shiloh Drive.
· From Groover Drive/Shiloh Drive, trail users can utilize the existing sidewalks along Stone River Road and Shiloh Drive to connect to the Irondale Furnace Greenway.
· The ADA compliant trail will allow walking, running, biking, and any non-motorized mobility device (scooters, skateboards, etc.).
· Community access points will be created to allow residents to easily access the new trail.
· Dogs must be leashed to use the trail.
· Like a city park, the trail will be open from dawn to dusk. There won’t be any lighting along the trail.
· Based on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) feedback, emergency call boxes are not being used. Instead, we’re increasing the number of trail signs that show your location. This way, if there’s an emergency, EMS can quickly locate you and respond effectively. EMS requested this change to improve trail safety. This is what you can expect to find: click here for photo.
· Most of the trail corridor lies within land owned by the City of Birmingham.
· Additional parking will not be constructed for the project.
Use our interactive trail map to better understand the location of the proposed trail:
Shades Creek Trail Study
As part of an APPLE Study (Advanced Planning, Programming, and Local Engineering) conducted by the Regional Planning Commission (RPC), the project team evaluated the feasibility of a trail and offered an initial design concept for a multi-use trail spanning about 1.27 miles along Shades Creek Greenway, from the Flora Johnston Trailhead to Groover Drive/Shiloh Drive. The site presents favorable conditions for constructing the trail and is currently used by nearby residents for recreational activities.
Shades Creek Greenway Updates
If you live along the Shades Creek Greenway and would like to receive updates, fill out the form below. Please include your physical address so that we can provide you with accurate information.
For questions, please call Freshwater Land Trust at (205) 417-2777.