New contractor working on Gulf Shores Hwy. 59 expansion

BY RUTH MAYO
Reporter
ruth@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 11/18/24

GULF SHORES — Driving by the traffic cones that line Hwy. 59, one might start to wonder what the timeline for construction looks like for this project. “They’re going to start …

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New contractor working on Gulf Shores Hwy. 59 expansion

Posted

GULF SHORES — Driving by the traffic cones that line Hwy. 59, one might start to wonder what the timeline for construction looks like for this project.

“They’re going to start paving that new lane from 19th down to Fort Morgan Road this next week,” said Clint Colvin, capital programs director for the City of Gulf Shores. “And at the start of December, we will shift the traffic.”

After the new lane has been paved, he said there will still be two lanes of traffic while a median is installed to Hwy 59. Colvin said the city is expecting the road on the south side of the W.C. Holmes Bridge to be “completely done” in May 2025.


Colvin explained how the construction is an “interim thing” with three stages of progress. The south side of bridge to Fort Morgan Road is first phase, and the second phase is from the north side of the bridge to Target.

Colvin said the city expects the second phase to be completed around the end of summer next year.

The third phase is from Target to County Road 6 and will be completed “through the state” next year and should be finished by next summer.

“For now, that’s where were stopping. We talked about going from (County Road) 6 to 8, but we will need a grant for that,” Colvin said.

Colvin also explained how Wiregrass, the new contractor for the project, bought out the previous contractor and will remain consistent with the original plans for construction.

Mayor Robert Craft mentioned during a public presentation on the city's Vision 2035 strategic 10-year plan that the original construction company did not work out, which is what has caused delays to the project.