Two new art installations will be coming to two roundabouts within Fairhope in the near future.

Fairhope City Council approved a resolution to award and authorize contracts for large-scale public art installations at two local roundabouts during its meeting on Monday, Sept. 14.

The first contract is for Maxwell Emcays to create a new installation at the roundabout where Veterans Drive, Scenic 98 and Triangle Drive all meet, costing $115,000. A second contract is for Nelson Grice to create another installation at the roundabout located on County Road 13 and County Road 32, costing $117,300. Models for what the new pieces will look like were put on display outside the council chambers following the council meeting.

Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan gave details on the process behind selecting the art, which was led by the Committee on Public Art (COPA), featuring members of the Eastern Shore Art Center.

The process began with a call for entries in February that received 70 applications. COPA narrowed the field to 34 applicants, who were individually reviewed and scored by committee members on a scale of one to seven. The list was then narrowed to four semifinalists, who received funding from COPA to create models of their work and met with Sullivan, two city council members and COPA members to present their art.

"I think the two pieces of art we have chosen are fantastic," Sullivan said. "They're going to be great additions to Fairhope. So excited we are that we're able to expand outside of downtown with our public art, which is something I know myself and Councilman (Jack) Burrell have wanted to do for years, was to extend art all throughout Fairhope."

Sullivan also said that another unannounced piece of artwork is in the works for another roundabout that Fairhope is hoping to have installed later this year, pending the funding to do so.

"In a lot of cities, art is an afterthought, but it's not an afterthought in Fairhope," said Jimmy Prestwood, a board member of the Eastern Shore Art Center who is part of the COPA selection committee. "All you have to do is go around and look. We hope that we can continue as a committee because there's more empty roundabouts and there's more spots where we can put art."

Also discussed on Monday:

City Council also approved a resolution to allow Mayor Sullivan to enter an agreement between the Baldwin County Commission and City of Fairhope for a cost-sharing program to support road improvement projects under the county's Connecting Communities Collectively (C3) program.

As previously reported by GCM, the program was started by the Baldwin County Commission last year, originally under the name of the 30 Cubed Project, in which municipalities can voluntarily partner with the county on road and bridge projects. Fairhope's agreement with the county would help cover the construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Founders Drive and Boothe Road and geometric and signal improvements to the intersection of U.S. 98 and Twin Beech Road, along with various pedestrian improvements within city limits.

Under the program's cost-share structure, funding would be split 50/50 between the Baldwin County Commission and the City of Fairhope, with each entity taking on $2.5 million for a total cost of $5 million.

Mobile River Bridge groundbreaking announcement coming soon, said Councilman Burrell

Although nothing about it was listed on Monday's agenda, Councilman Jack Burrell teased during the council work session that groundbreaking for the long-awaited Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project is "getting close."

The project, estimated at $3.2 billion, will connect Baldwin and Mobile counties via a cable-stayed bridge with three lanes in each direction and will require motorists to pay a toll. Toll options include a $3-per-trip rate with an ALGO Pass, while users without a pass will pay a $7.70 toll. An unlimited monthly commuter pass costing $60 will also be available to purchase for more frequent commuters.

The project has seen collaboration between federal, state and local leaders. Officials have previously said that groundbreaking will commence before the end of 2026, with the new bridge expected to be open in 2031.

Burrell, who is Chairman of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization, said to be on the lookout for an announcement "very, very soon" regarding a groundbreaking.

"Stay tuned," Burrell said. "It's gonna happen pretty soon."