The Birmingham City Council on Sept. 30 approved a contract awarding Gillespie Construction LLC the low bid of $372,482 for East Lake Safe Streets right‑of‑way improvements in the East Lake area, a project that will remove temporary Jersey barriers and replace them with permanent curbing and streetscape elements.

Councilors removed the item from the consent agenda for questions. Denise Bell, service director of capital projects, and James Fowler, service director of the city's Department of Transportation, told the council the project covers more than a dozen locations where Jersey barriers currently exist and that staff provided a map and renderings to council members showing example locations and proposed median planters and trees. "It is over a dozen locations," Bell said.

Councilor Abbott asked whether trees would be planted in the medians; staff confirmed planters and trees are included. Abbott also urged protections for newly planted trees, and staff said a tree ordinance is in the near term pipeline. The contract award was approved; staff said the work replaces temporary safety devices with permanent curb and streetscape improvements.