We like to think of 20th Street North as Birmingham’s living room. It’s our main street, where people come together from all over the city, region, and even the country for a distinctive Birmingham experience.  

In the best of times, useful outdoor spaces are key to a vibrant and successful urban environment; the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased their importance. 

With that in mind, the City of Birmingham’s Department of Transportation and REV Birmingham are planning a refresh of 20th Street North that will better serve pedestrians as well as the businesses that line our main street.  

20th Street North is technically one very wide lane, but it has always functioned more like two. Traffic typically moves on the left and lots of other uses—from valet to delivery to construction supply storage—happen on the right.  

Now it’s time to formalize the flexible usage of that right lane with paint and policy. The creation of a flex lane is an exciting and tangible step in the implementation of the 20th Street refresh plan. 

What’s a flex lane? 

A flex lane is a section of roadway that can adapt to different uses based on the needs of the community. The idea of the flex lane is to formally sanction the “as needed” functions of 20th Street North’s right-hand lane. This will create a buffer to make pedestrians safer, reduce vehicle speeds, and allow businesses to make better use of this sidewalk adjacent space.