Council President Maxine Herring Parker Bridge
The Council President Maxine Herring Parker Bridge is an overpass carrying vehicular and pedestrian traffic over CSX railroad tracks on F. L. Shuttlesworth Drive between 29th Avenue North and 31st Avenue North in Birmingham's Collegeville neighborhood.
The bridge was originally conceived as two projects, one vehicular bridge and a second pedestrian bridge. Neighborhood leader Maxine Herring Parker lobbied state and federal officials to commit to the project to ameliorate the common problem of Collegeville residents being hemmed in by stopped trains. She won support from then-Governor Bob Riley when he toured the neighborhood first hand.
After Parker's death in November 2013, her son, William Parker, was appointed to fill her unexpired term. He organized a ceremonial groundbreaking on May 30, 2014, at which the project was dedicated in his mother's name. A concrete panel in the side walls of the bridge abutments reads "Collegeville: Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement" along with an illustration of a rose, recalling the roses Mrs Parker customarily wore on her lapel.
In January 2015 the Alabama Department of Transportation awarded Bell & Associates of Brentwood, Tennessee an $8.3 million contract to construct the bridge.
References
- Bryant, Joseph D. (October 10, 2013) "With money in place and bids coming, long-awaited North Birmingham railroad overpass closer than ever councilwoman says." The Birmingham News
- Bryant, Joseph D. (May 30, 2014) "Making it official: City and state leaders join to dedicate upcoming Birmingham railroad overpass." The Birmingham News
- Bryant, Joseph D. (February 2, 2015) "Building the bridge: State awards $8.3 million contract to erect Birmingham vehicle, pedestrian overpass." The Birmingham News