BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Birmingham City Council's approval Tuesday to back the Rotary Trail means the $3.5 million project can now start construction.

The city agreed to handle the bids for construction of the linear park to be built from 20th Street to 24th Street along First Avenue South that will become be a key link in the larger Red Rock Trail.

The Rotary Club of Birmingham is paying the entirety of the cost of the project. The city is improving the landscaping, sidewalks and lighting along First Avenue South that will enhance the Rotary Trail, which is mostly below ground in what is commonly referred to as "the cut," the vestiges of when the railroad ran through the area.

Bill Jones, vice chairman at O'Neal Industries, is president of the Rotary Club of Birmingham. He said the organization wanted do to something major to mark its 100th year in the Magic City.

“One of the things the club wanted to do was leave a lasting gift to the city,” Jones said. “Rotary Trail is the perfect project to leave a legacy.”

The Rotary Trail will have a 46-foot sign that recalls the historic “Birmingham the Magic City” signs but will read “Rotary Trail in the Magic City.” Stairwells, viaduct boardwalks, amphitheaters, running and walking paths, bench seating, picnic areas, landscaping, lighting and other amenities will be used to make the attract people to use the space regularly.

Goodwyn Mills and Cawood's designs for the Rotary Trail won Design Review Committee approval in December.

The Rotary Trail is part of a "Cross to Sloss" initiative spearheaded by the Freshwater Land Trust that will eventually have a greenway connection from the CrossPlex sports arena in Five Points West to Sloss Furnaces near the Lakeview and Avondale neighborhoods.

The Red Rock Ridge & Valley Trail System will someday connect Red Mountain Park, Vulcan Park, Railroad Park and Ruffner Mountain Park. Trails along the Cahaba River, Shades Creek, Turkey Creek, Five Mile Creek, Village Creek and even the Northern Beltline all figure into the system's plans.

New developments such as the $64 million Regions Field baseball park to the west and the $13 million Sloss visitors center to the east would be connected by the Rotary Trail project and the Jones Valley Trail, its future street-level extension that will continue the greenway to 32nd Street.

Wendy Jackson, executive director of the Freshwater Land Trust, said the Rotary Trail is not only a key piece to the larger plan, but its visibility and connection to the Railroad Park should spur interest in seeing the rest of the greenway initiative become a reality.

“This is huge, huge, huge for the Red Rock Trail and for downtown,” Jackson said. “It’s a very important piece that will attract and engage the public while connecting the Railroad Park to Sloss Furnaces.”

Jones said when the Rotary Club of Birmingham was looking to do a signature project for its centennial, it formed a panel that heard pitches from developers with ideas. The Rotary Trail stood out from the rest.

“This project drew our attention and seemed like the perfect one to pursue,” Jones said.

Jackson said it touches so many facets for Rotary in the community.

“I really like the fact that they were looking to do something that had educational, environmental, health and redevelopment aspects,” she said. “This hits on every area.”

Jones said there is also an economic development component to the project, much like the millions of dollars in private developments that have started around the $19 million Railroad Park.

“We’re not doing this for economic development, but I can’t help but to think that this will be a shot in the arm for all of the interesting buildings along the park and First Avenue South,” he said.

Jackson said she hopes other businesses and organizations will recognize Rotary’s contribution and might want to leave their own legacy through the greenway project.

“Rotary rocks,” she said.

Jones said the city has started a pre-qualification process to identify potential bidders for the Rotary Trail project. They will then solicit bids and select the companies to do the work. Plans are to have the project complete by the end of the year or early 2015.

The work the city has already done to improve and cleanup the cut and the street will make it easier to get to work and complete the project, Jones said.

“It’s really teed up well with the streetscaping the city has been doing around the trail,” he said. “It won’t take as long as long to build as it did to get to this point.”