City staff present $35 million estimate for University‑quarter streetscape; recommend phased work, minimal right‑of‑way acquisition

City staff presented a planning update on a multi‑block University‑quarter streetscape project and told the Tuscaloosa City Council that a 50% design and cost estimate place the full project at roughly $35,000,000.

The update, delivered by city staff working with Duncan Coker Associates, described the 50% design set and an estimate that includes utilities conversion (overhead to underground), streetscape lighting, drainage and other streetscape elements. Staff said the plan is to phase construction to limit community disruption, coordinate timing with university and game‑day activity, and minimize right‑of‑way acquisition. Mike (city staff) said the city has roughly $9.5 million available for the western portion and referenced a $10 million bond issuance in 2025 intended for the eastern side of the corridor.

Staff recommended beginning work in the university portion of the corridor — described as the segment from Reed Street back to Wallace Wade — because it is the most cost‑effective starting point: many utilities in that segment are already underground and it likely represents about one‑third of the full project cost. Staff also noted technical constraints that will affect phasing decisions, including storm‑drainage coordination, aerial utilities that must be moved underground, loading‑zone tradeoffs for businesses, and the presence of utility easements and power poles that complicate sidewalk work.

Council members and staff discussed potential segment breaks (Reed Street to Queen City, Queen City to the nineteenth‑street area near the federal courthouse), the need to coordinate sequencing with university activities and the football season, and stakeholder coordination with businesses and adjacent property owners. Staff said they expect additional deliverables and a recommended phasing schedule in the coming weeks.

On scheduling, staff referred to a separate University‑area streetscape project that will serve as a test case; that project is expected to be led in March 2026 and is scheduled to break ground in May 2026, providing experience for staging, coordination and business‑access solutions on similar corridors. Mayor Maddox and other council members emphasized minimizing construction impact during football season and preserving loading zones for businesses where possible.

Staff said the city intends to limit additional right‑of‑way acquisition and will make every effort to work within existing city rights of way; staff acknowledged a small amount of property work may still be necessary in limited locations. The presentation concluded with a schedule request for staff and consultant deliverables and a plan to return with a 100% design only after technical issues (utilities ordering timelines, staging, and stakeholder outreach) are resolved.

Because the update was an informational item, there was no formal council vote on the full project during the meeting.