The City of Tuscaloosa held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Western Riverwalk on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 9 a.m.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, Councilor Matthew Wilson, Councilor Raevan Howard and Anthony Perkins spoke during the ceremony.

“We believe in West Tuscaloosa’s endless opportunities,” said Mayor Walt Maddox. “When this Western Riverwalk is ultimately connected through phase 3 of the MLK/Jack Warner Parkway project, it is going to link with the amphitheater, our downtown, the Saban Center and the University of Alabama.”

The Western Riverwalk project features a shared-use riverwalk from the Oliver Lock and Dam to the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater. Oliver Lock and Dam offers picnic areas, restrooms, a playground and parking.

“This Western Riverwalk will allow even more people to enjoy our great natural resource, the river,” said Anthony Perkins, Operations Project Manager for Black Warrior & Tombigbee/Alabama-Coosa Rivers Project. “The Black Warrior River means so much to Tuscaloosa, it’s a vital part of it.”

The trail includes lighting, security cameras and landscaping. On the east, Parker-Haun Park provides an additional trailhead with amenities.

“From the West to the North, there are endless possibilities,” said Councilor Matthew Wilson. “From walking and jogging, to picnics and families coming to sit down with their children, these are endless possibilities.”

Construction for the project, funded by Elevate Tuscaloosa and a federal BUILD grant, began last May.

“To see the riverwalk transform into what it is now, from how it used to be, means so much,” said Councilor Raevan Howard. “Thank you to all current and former councilor members, because we all had a part to play and a say to give in this decision.”

Learn more here.