The Birmingham City Council approved a cost‑sharing agreement with Norfolk Southern on Tuesday to install median‑channel ("quick curve") devices at several railroad crossings on the city’s West Side.

The resolution authorizes Norfolk Southern and the city to split the cost for the work; the transcript records Norfolk Southern contributing $48,741 and the city contributing $48,741 for a combined project total of $97,482. The locations named in the item include crossings near 31st Street Southwest, Clifford Avenue, 24th Street Southwest and Pearson Avenue to Jefferson Avenue.

Council President Pro Tem Tim Alexander asked that the item be removed from the consent agenda so nearby residents would be aware of the additional safety work. "This just adds another layer of safety," Alexander said, asking the council to notify residents of the planned changes.

Council President O'Quinn (presiding) described the devices as a center‑line curve with reflective bollards intended to discourage drivers from going around lowered gates. He also said trains in that stretch can travel at higher speeds and that drivers trying to bypass gates have contributed to fatal crashes there.

The council and staff also discussed a related effort to install train‑detection devices that would feed information to common navigation apps. That system is intended to help drivers avoid encountering blocked crossings by routing traffic around them.

No roll‑call vote tally with individual names was read into the record; the chair called the question and the motion carried. The transcript shows a motion to approve and the item was adopted on a voice vote.

Discussion vs. decision: council commentary described the expected safety benefits and cited past fatalities in the corridor as rationale; the formal action approved the city’s half of the cost‑share and authorized executing the agreement with Norfolk Southern.

Implementation details and funding: speakers referenced use of ARPA funds in related railroad‑safety efforts elsewhere on the West Side, and said District 7 and other districts coordinated to cover the city share. The resolution number referenced in the reading appears in the record as a follow‑up to a December 2023 council resolution approving an earlier version of the agreement; the transcript did not provide a full, unambiguous citation beyond that mention.

What the council did not state in the record: the item as read did not name a project schedule or contractor beyond Norfolk Southern’s participation, nor did it specify an effective date or conditions for final payment beyond the cost share. The transcript did not list a formal roll‑call tally by member name.