The Tuscaloosa City Finance Committee on a voice vote approved establishing a $16,000,000 budget for the 2026 bond series, allocating $10,000,000 to Northern Riverwalk Phase 2 and $6,000,000 to a Greensboro Avenue pedestrian and operational redesign.

Speaker 2, a staff member presenting the item, told the committee the request follows a reimbursement resolution proposed Dec. 9 that would let staff begin work on two Elevate bond projects and that the reimbursement resolution will appear on the full City Council agenda next Tuesday for final approval. "That would create a budget of $10,000,000 for Northern Riverwalk and $6,000,000 for Greensboro Avenue," Speaker 2 said.

The committee discussed limits on drawing funds under the previously approved reimbursement motion. Speaker 1 asked whether the earlier reimbursement motion allowed drawing the full $16,000,000; Speaker 2 said it did not and that the reimbursement motion includes a $5,000,000 cap on upfront spending.

Staff and project leads said the Northern Riverwalk design is near completion and that the requested $10,000,000 would cover the final approximately 10% of design plus contracts for construction-phase consultant services, including field inspection and technical oversight. Speaker 5 described consultant McGifford’s expected role in construction inspection and ensuring specifications are met.

For Greensboro Avenue, Speaker 5 described the project as a two-block redesign (south of University Boulevard to 7th Street) intended to increase pedestrian walkability by removing some pavement and reallocating space. Merchant feedback prompted design adjustments to accommodate deliveries and the needs of local venues such as the Bama Theater. Speaker 5 said the plan now includes dedicated loading zones and expects a combination of infrastructure and operational measures — including use of nearby streets for short-term bus staging — to address larger vehicle and event needs.

Speaker 1 asked why the Greensboro Avenue construction estimate rose from roughly $4,000,000 to $6,000,000. Speaker 5 said the higher number is a conservative estimate reflecting additional demolition, expanded delivery areas and safety features such as pedestrian bollards.

Committee members praised the level of stakeholder engagement. Speaker 4 noted the city’s broader downtown investment strategy, saying roughly $100 million in combined federal and city downtown funds has catalyzed about $600 million in private investment. Speaker 5 said landscaping drawings would be finalized soon and expected to be shared within one to two weeks.

The committee approved the budget request by voice vote after a motion and second; individual vote tallies were not recorded in the transcript and the motion was announced as approved.

Next steps: the reimbursement resolution related to these projects will be on the City Council agenda next Tuesday for full council approval; staff will finalize design drawings and continue stakeholder coordination before construction-phase procurement.