Tuscaloosa Leaders Celebrate Opening Of New River District Pedestrian Bridge

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The City of Tuscaloosa on Tuesday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the River District Pedestrian Bridge, which is intended to connect downtown Tuscaloosa to Parker-Haun Park, while also slowing traffic on Jack Warner Parkway.

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Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, Council President Kip Tyner and District 1 Councilor Matthew Wilson each spoke during the ceremony.

“18 years ago, when I was sworn in, I promised to build a bridge to the future,” Maddox said. “Eighteen years later, that future includes nearly universal pre-K, dual-enrollment scholarships for every single 10th, 11th and 12th grader at our city schools and a higher quality of life. Today that bridge to the future includes this pedestrian bridge. It is going to provide a link between our downtown and our riverfront.”

City leaders tout the new bridge as a way to allow visitors to safely cross from Parker-Haun Park to the future Saban Discovery Center, which is planned for the current site of the former Tuscaloosa News building.

As Patch reported in October, River District Park was renamed to Parker-Haun Park to honor the Parker and Haun families and their support of the Saban Center — a planned hub for a wide range of offerings that aims to bring together community organizations such as Children's Hands-On Museum (CHOM) — rebranded as IGNITE — and the Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre.

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“This is going to be the busiest section of the entire City of Tuscaloosa,” Tyner said. “With The Saban Center, the amphitheater, the park, this [bridge] is so needed. I just think it’s a very proud moment for the City of Tuscaloosa and I’m just very proud that I was able to support it and work with the City Council that unanimously supported this as well.”

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