Old South Spruces Up

 

The old brick sidewalks at the Madison County Courthouse in downtown Huntsville, Alabama were buckling from tree root intrusion. Photos courtesy of Denise Taylor, director of public communications, Huntsville.

Everyone likes the look of the old brick sidewalks at the Madison County Courthouse in downtown Huntsville, Alabama, but some of the sidewalk has buckled from invasive tree roots and is now a walking hazard.

Huntsville is undertaking a $1 million downtown restoration project. The first phase of renovations of the streetscape from Southside Square to Constitution Hall Park have just been completed, including removing all concrete and brick sidewalks and replacing it with concrete that has brick double-header edging; installing fescue sod and Zelkova trees (more root friendly); and installing irrigation, including bubblers to water tree roots underground.

In the first phase of downtown restoration, Huntsville replaced the old brick with concrete sidewalks with a decorative double-header edging, bordered by a fescue sod and Zelkova trees replacing the troublesome trees.

The second phase, beginning fall 2007, will include more concrete brick edging, installation of Granville traditional style lighting, benches, bike racks, trash receptacles, and twice the number of curbside parking spaces. All brick planters will be removed and the left turn lanes at each corner eliminated, with the curbs ?EUR??,,????'??bumped out?EUR??,,????'?? for pedestrian safety.