Pathfinders
How a team came together to connect communities through trails
A trail winding 36 miles around Greater Birmingham could lead the way to a brighter future. The Freshwater Land Trust (FLT) Red Rock Action Plan envisions a grand loop combining seven new corridors with existing trails. These paths will link communities to green space, establish inviting areas for walking and biking, and elevate economic development and quality of life. Naturally, a project this bold and promising involves Leadership Birmingham members. Here, four of them describe their collaborations to build two western segments—the Fairfield Trail and the Valley Creek Rail-to-Trail project:
David Hicks (’18), Health Officer, Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH): In 2010 JCDH partnered with FLT to develop the Red Rock Trail System® to improve the overall health of the communities we serve. The connectivity it provides is a commendable effort toward fostering a healthier, more active lifestyle for our residents.
The long-term project led to the completion of more than 120 miles of trails by the dawn of the COVID pandemic, when interest in the Red Rock system rose as people sought safe spaces to exercise and gather. A state-commissioned report from the Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank, also highlighted outdoor recreation as a key attraction for newcomers to Alabama.
Rusha Smith (’23), Executive Director, Freshwater Land Trust: Moving forward, we wanted to be more strategic about connectivity and equity. We have several underserved communities that don’t have the capacity to move around easily without vehicles, don’t have access to employment or a way to get downtown, or are in food deserts. We hired a nationally known active transportation company, supported by a local engineering firm, with 100-percent funding from JCDH, to help us develop the Red Rock Action Plan.
Hicks: I serve on the committee that provides input on prioritizing the proposed corridor projects. Corridor D—the Fairfield Trail—is particularly important as we seek to advance health equity by increasing access to amenities to areas in the county with a higher burden of chronic diseases. This trail will ultimately facilitate connection between Midfield, Fairfield, and Birmingham.
FLT has nurtured relationships with governments across the county to ensure that trail development corresponds with each city’s revitalization plans.
Kelvin Datcher (’22), Senior Advisor, Special Projects, City of Birmingham: My involvement actually goes back to 2009 when I was at JCDH during the development of the Red Rock master plan. Being active outside has always been a huge part of my life, so I stayed interested in the project. When Congress introduced some directed appropriations, Mayor Randall Woodfin (’14) wanted to identify projects with the potential to have a large, ongoing impact on folks across our community. FLT already had done a phenomenal job of preparing the Red Rock plan. They just had not identified a funding source. I was able to help connect FLT through the city to the office of Congresswoman Terri Sewell (’07). It was like putting a puzzle piece in place.
These close partnerships secured a $4 million Housing and Urban Development grant to help fund the Valley Creek Rail-to-Trail project that will connect Red Mountain Park with the CrossPlex.
Datcher: Congresswoman Sewell seeks citizen-driven concepts and figures out ways to provide resources to make them come to life. We have FLT’s enthusiasm about connecting communities across the county and Mayor Woodfin’s vision and understanding that Birmingham doesn’t live on its own—that we need to do more with our neighbors. Those things came together and made magic happen.
A spur of the Fairfield Trail will lead to Miles College, linking it to both downtown Birmingham and Red Mountain Park. The trail also will reconnect the historically Black college, which played a key role in Birmingham’s civil rights victories, with other sites from the movement.
Bobbie Knight (’06), President, Miles College: We thought, “What if our students got involved in this? What if we were a part of it?” It made sense because we have students who are active and interested in nature. Many are from outside Birmingham and Alabama, and we want to make a better four years for them and give them reasons to stay here when they finish school. My team and I made an appeal at an FLT board meeting. And they heard us. They were very accepting.
Smith: President Knight brought so much enthusiasm to the board meeting that our board immediately approved us moving forward with efforts to find funds for the Fairfield Trail.
Knight: Being part of the trail means that the western section of Birmingham, Fairfield, and Miles College are not forgotten. This is a big boost for the self-esteem of the area. We’re excited about the possibilities and the potential.
In February, FLT—with the support of local, regional, and national partners—assisted the City of Fairfield in submitting a RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation, requesting approximately $14 million for the Fairfield Trail.
Hicks: I wrote a letter of support to the U.S. transportation secretary highlighting the importance that the built environment, as a social determinant of health, plays in providing equitable access to vital health services and community amenities that support healthy lifestyles.
Smith: We expect a response by late summer or early fall. If the grant is awarded, we hope to design the Fairfield Trail from roughly 2026 to 2027 and construct it from 2027 to 2029. If we’re not successful, we will resubmit the application.
[Editor’s Note: In June 2024, Rep. Terri Sewell announced that Fairfield is receiving $11.7 million in RAISE grant funds for trail building.]
Datcher: This is a public-private partnership across multiple municipalities and various levels of government. It shows how people can come together to get things done for the betterment of our community. There’s no better project that I’ve worked on at the City of Birmingham.
Planners have had no trouble finding supporters for the Fairfield Trail and Valley Creek project—and the entire Red Rock Action Plan—because of the collaborative spirit of Leadership Birmingham.
Smith: There are so many people involved whom I’ve met in my class or who are graduates. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the connections made through Leadership Birmingham.
Knight: People are willing to collaborate. We don’t have the luxury of doing things in a silo. When Leadership Birmingham brings people together, the world becomes smaller and less disconnected.
Datcher: You see Birmingham from many different perspectives, and everyone builds real relationships beyond the transactional things that happen in professional settings. For this project, I was able to rely on relationships with folks I trusted. I knew they had the best intentions for the entire community when we sat down together.
Hicks: I believe the Red Rock project is a catalyst for uniting us all. Leadership Birmingham shows what’s possible if we dream and work together.