Work is expected to begin soon on new walkways that will link the Mills community in west Foley with other parts of the city after Foley City Council voted to seek bids for construction.

The planned project includes a sidewalk connecting a park being developed in Mills with existing city walkways, part of a broader effort to improve connectivity following the community’s annexation into Foley in 2023.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said city officials have spent years laying the groundwork for the project, focusing on land access and infrastructure constraints.

"This has been about three years worth of work to get the rights of way," Hellmich said. "Those rights of way out there are very narrow, about 40 feet. It’s a challenge to get a sidewalk in there and we had to address drainage."

Hellmich said the long-term goal is to better integrate Mills into the city’s pedestrian network and improve access to other areas.

"Our ultimate goal is to tie it back along Airport Road, back to the Cedar Street complex, or at least get it to where our path ends at Hickory," Hellmich said. "That way, we'll have connections to other parts of our community."

According to city officials, the sidewalk will run along Little Rock Road, Dailey Lane, a portion of Baldwin County 65 and Mills Road before ending at the site of the future community park.

City Engineer Taylor Davis said the project involved extensive coordination across multiple property owners and years of negotiation over access and drainage.

"We've had over two dozen parcels and over a dozen owners, right of way challenges and drainage issues that we've battled through the years," Davis said. "We got approval from the owners, and now we're ready to go to bid."

Hellmich credited city staff for advancing the effort and working closely with residents to secure approvals.

"Taylor and everyone have done very good work, working with the community group out here to acquire these approvals," Hellmich said. "We're getting easements in and some just outright rights of way. This is a really big project."

Davis said city Leisure Services staff, including Executive Director David Thompson, also worked with Mills residents and community leaders throughout the planning process.

"David has done a lot of work with the community and with the Mills community leaders and those churches out there," Davis said. "They've done the groundwork. They've done the heavy lifting."

The Mills Community Church Organization also played a key role by helping facilitate meetings between residents and city officials to move the project forward.