A portion of Canal Road will be closed for five days, beginning Monday, Feb. 23, related to construction of the new Intracoastal Waterway Bridge in Gulf Shores.

During the closure, the contractor, Scott Bridge Company, will install bridge painting equipment for the steel bridge girders over Canal Road, perform road widening work east of the bridge and complete a portion of paving near the south roundabout at Canal Road, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.

Here’s what motorists need to know:

• Canal Road will be closed from 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, continuously through 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27.
• The closure will allow crews to safely install the bridge girder painting equipment, to widen a portion of the roadway and to pave near the roundabout.
• Detour signs will direct drivers to use CR-4 (Cotton Creek Drive) as an alternate route.

The state says the project, once completed, will reduce congestion on Hwy. 59, improve access to emergency services for Gulf Shores and the surrounding areas, enhance safety during evacuations, especially during hurricanes or other emergencies, and support economic growth by improving connectivity and transportation efficiency.

Once opened, the new bridge will be southbound only, and the Foley Beach Express bridge in Orange Beach at The Wharf will become northbound only. Officials have said the bridge is expected to open by Memorial Day.