ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The city of Orange Beach is asking the Alabama Department of Transportation to do a traffic study at the intersection of Cotton Bayou Drive and Orange Beach Boulevard.

Also, the city’s Business Advisory Committee, is moving forward with plans to beautify city entrances and plant palms along Orange Beach Boulevard.

Life-long resident Margaret Long asked the council to look into a traffic signal at the intersection. Long grew up on Cotton Bayou where she still lives.

“Margaret was not able to come, but I relayed her concerns,” Director of Engineering and Environmental services Kit Alexander said. “Another resident came and spoke. Her name is Pat Chambers. She is a daily walker so she’s not only speaking from a vehicle movement aspect.

“She’s also speaking from a pedestrian viewpoint. She’s concerned for the safety for boats pulling out into traffic for vehicles and then the pedestrian/car problem there.”

The city has formally asked the state to conduct the study at the intersection.

“In a response made to the City Council, DOT is going to study the intersection after Memorial Day so they capture a traffic count that reflects our tourist season,” “What they do is they determine whether a traffic signal is warranted based on the traffic count. They will then give us the cost of that signal if it is warranted and we would pay half and DOT would pay the other half.”

Alexander said the signal’s estimated cost would be between $130,000 and $150,000.

“There will be DOT people at the intersection evaluating and counting and they will get back with the Mobile office and determine if it’s warranted and let us know,” she said.

The council was also asked to consider a sidewalk along Cotton Bayou Drive and Alexander said it is a high priority for the city.

“Pat Chambers and others voiced the need for a sidewalk on Cotton Bayou Drive and that is our number one priority with regard to our sidewalk plan because of the number of pedestrians on that street,” she said.

“Project Paradise,” an initiative by the Business Advisory Committee will begin that project by sprucing up city entrances and eventually hopes to plant palm trees on Orange Beach Boulevard.

Yolanda Johnson, a member of the committee, says the group is studying which types of palms would be “most tolerant to our climate.”

“Currently I am in the process of executing the permits to get permission from DOT to plant the trees,” Alexander said. “I think we’re talking between 80 and 100 trees, estimated. So we have to get DOT permission and we also need to determine location of utilities so we have no conflicts with utilities and that they are accessible. That is of primary importance.”

Part of the DOT approval process includes a resolution from the city council.

The council is expected to pass that at Tuesday’s meeting.

“It requires a resolution from the city of Orange Beach council to commit to maintaining these trees over time,” Alexander said.

On the entrances, two donors have already stepped up to fund sprucing up the entrance on Perdido Beach Boulevard at the city’s eastern boundary.

“The first phase will be a focus on the gateways,” Alexander said. “And basically sign on Perdido Beach Boulevard right when you leave Gulf State Park, the Garden Club wants to plant palm trees at that city sign.

“American Roads, who owns the Foley Beach Express they have committed to beautify the gateway on the Foley Beach Express, and that’s landscaping.”

The Business Advisory Committee is seeking donors to help refurbish the entrances on Canal Road and at the state line by the Flora-Bama.

“There’s some talk about approaching some businesses in close proximity to those signs,” Alexander said.