Birmingham Seeks Safer Crosswalks

0:00Birmingham City leaders just apply for a grant to fix up crosswalks in the busiest walking spots, like downtown, lake view, and five points south. These are areas where folks head to work, school, restaurants, or events on foot every day. The goal is shorter wait times and safer signals to cut down on frustration at intersections. Right now, many pedestrians deal with signals that drag on forever, sometimes without even push buttons to activate them. It leads to risky shortcuts, especially in high traffic zones around 21st Street and 3rd Avenue, where people feel stuck just standing. There, locals are speaking out about how it pushes them to J-Walk. For runners jogging in place to students rushing to class, even older folks waited out, but the overall vibe is inconvenient and unsafe, tempting everyone to dodge the rules just to keep moving. If the grant comes through, expect upgrades like smarter signal timing, better visibility, and new push buttons for easier access. Counselor Clinton Woods calls it a key first step toward real safety and accessibility in

1:04these crowded neighborhoods. We'll hear back on the funding between July and September, so fingers crossed for greener lights and smoother strides across Birmingham streets. Ahead, that's your Birmingham News today update, AI powered and always on.