GULF SHORES — Street signs damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sally in 2020 and other markers needing replacement or new installations will be installed under plans presented to the Gulf Shores City Council.
At press time, the council was scheduled to vote on a proposal to award a contract to Southern Lighting and Traffic Systems to install large blue signs that are backlit by LED lights. The company's bid was $89,473.
At a city council work session Monday, April 4, Marc Acreman, city engineer, said 18 of the signs were damaged by Hurricane Sally in September 2020. The cost of those signs,
"These are the blue LED street signs that are installed on the traffic signals throughout the city," Acreman said. "The bid itself includes not only the signs, but the brackets and hanger assemblies that are needed to mount these to the mast arms."
Most of the bid cost is to replace signs damaged by Hurricane Sally in September 2020. Acreman said 18 storm-damaged signs will be replaced. The cost replacing those signs, $53,568, will be paid by the city's insurance carrier.

Five other signs will be replaced with new markers to match the county 911 addressing system. Signs now on East Beach Boulevard and West Beach Boulevard are marked as "E. Beach," or "W. Beach." The new signs will have East Beach and West Beach spelled out.
"It sounds like semantics, but for a first responder, it's important that they match up and so we're having to replace some of these signs," Acreman said.
Other signs will be installed at Gulf Shores Parkway and Medical Village Boulevard. Acreman said no signs have been placed on the street since Medical Village Boulevard was named.
New signs will also be placed at 12th Avenue East. The street had previously been designated Zoo Boulevard. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, which had been at the site, moved to a new location north of the Intracoastal Waterway and the street will now be listed as 12th Avenue East.
The cost of the signs not covered by insurance will be $35,905 and paid by city funds budgeted for land and improvements, Acreman said.
The new signs will be 6 feet wide by 15 inches high or 8 feet by 15 inches, he said.