BIRMINGHAM – Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) and Congressman Artur Davis (AL-7) today announced $1.6 million in federal funding for community development and public safety projects in Birmingham and Jefferson County.
The projects are in two spending bills that will be voted on by the House this month: the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill and the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill. The legislation also must be approved by the Senate and signed by President Bush.
“Only when all citizens of Jefferson County join together in a united effort will we be able to realize our full potential. Congressman Davis and I have come together in the midst of a divisive environment in Washington to join together to work for the mutual benefit of all our county citizens, and we hope others will too,” Bachus said.
“While Congressman Bachus and I represent different parts of Jefferson County, we both have a sustained commitment to Jefferson County’s growth and prosperity. That is why both of us have worked to obtain funding for the county in the face of a constrained budget environment,” Davis said.
Congressmen Bachus and Davis announced the following projects.
Birmingham – Intermodal Transit Facility, $200,000
Phase II of the Birmingham Intermodal Transit Facility is the next step in the expansion of the existing bus transfer facility into a fully integrated, multi-modal transportation center. This center will accommodate various modes of transportation including: local public transit, intercity bus, intercity rail, hotel and airport shuttles, bicycle, taxi, passenger car and van pool services. The overall facility will include new arrival spaces for Greyhound, AMTRAK, as well as surface and structured parking arranged in a way that takes full advantage of their proximity to provide enhanced transportation service to the community
Birmingham – Jimmie Hale Mission Men’s Center, $250,000
The Jimmie Hale Mission provided over 120,000 meals and housed 90 homeless men last year. The mission recently moved into a new location, doubling capacity, after completing the renovation of the former Thomas School in Birmingham. The $250,000 in funding will go towards the construction of a separate education and administration building that will provide homeless clients with a computer-based learning center where education, job readiness, and life skills can be taught. These skills will help clients to obtain jobs and become active participants and contributors in the community. The Jimmie Hale Mission has been recognized nationally for its life-changing services and faith-based commitment to those in need in the Birmingham area.
Birmingham – Railroad Reservation Park Project, $150,000
The Railroad Reservation Park is a 20 acre swath of abandoned industrial land in the heart of downtown Birmingham. This industrial area is crisscrossed by old rail lines and was home to several now defunct steel and foundry related companies, such as Sloss Furnace and the Birmingham Foundry. This 20 acre area is immediately adjacent to the City of Birmingham’s Downtown Intermodal Center, which will soon host a new Amtrak train station, a new Greyhound bus station, and is next to the recently-built Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority. In addition, it is bordered by several blocks of office buildings and warehouses which have recently been converted to residential lofts, as well as other new commercial and residential buildings in various stages of development.
Center Point – Polly Reed Greenway and Pedestrian Walkway, $250,000
The City of Center Point is a municipality with a population of approximately 15,296 located in Northeast Jefferson County, Alabama within a few miles of Birmingham. This project will create a focal point around a newly designed Senior Center and serve as the gateway to the proposed Five Mile Creek Greenway. It includes the building of sidewalks, bike paths, and street lighting. The overall project encompasses appropriate and necessary planning, engineering, drainage redirection, construction, and restoration of public streets, surrounding streetscape, and pedestrian walkways.
Jefferson County – Red Mountain Park, $250,000
Red Mountain Park is a project that would provide the Birmingham area with one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. The 1100 acre multiple-use park and greenway would provide expanded health, recreational, and economic benefits to citizens in the city and region. The $250,000 in funding will go towards land acquisition and park development.
Jefferson County – Sheriff’s Department Integrated Law Enforcement Equipment, $500,000
These funds will be used for completion of the county’s RMS and JMS system, to include purchase of additional software licenses as needed as well as record migration/conversion and training on the new system. This project will support the conversion of data that must comply with the Global Justice XML model as sponsored by the office of Justice Programs. The funding will allow for the wireless transmission, communication and sharing of data to individual officers’ mobile data terminal (MDT), PDAs, and cell phones. The Phase II funding capabilities will provide for inter-department and inter-agency data sharing with all metro Birmingham Police agencies, which includes 26 police departments within Jefferson County, and five contiguous counties.