Tuscaloosa City Council approves engineering contracts to extend Riverwalk

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Tuscaloosa City Councilors voted Tuesday in favor of approving more than $1 million in engineering projects stretching the city’s Riverwalk into more parts of town.

That includes West Tuscaloosa and north of the Black Warrior River. The Western Riverwalk would reach into property at the now closed Tuscaloosa Country Club.

City Councilors agreed to execute a contract for engineering and related services with T-T-L not to exceed $730,000.

Extending the Riverwalk into places like West Tuscaloosa is a big part of the Elevate Tuscaloosa tax plan that went into effect Tuesday.

Mayor Walt Maddox believes bringing the Riverwalk could also boost economic development in West Tuscaloosa. “Western Riverwalk is one of these key components. We see the 110 acres of the old Tuscaloosa Country Club property as the next great frontier of Tuscaloosa’s economic development.”

The city is still working on an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to put the Riverwalk on property they control on the country club site.

City Councilors also approved a separate contract with another company for a Riverwalk expansion north of the Black Warrior River with McGiffert and Associates for $582,000.

Work on the Riverwalk in these areas should start in 2021.

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