GULF SHORES — Community members lined the walls of the Gulf Shores Activity Center Monday, July 24, as the mood quickly shifted from quiet to contentious during a community update hosted by city council on the proposed pedestrian bridge over the intracoastal.

Mayor Robert Craft and council members held a presentation touching on the current state of the future pedestrian bridge, the project to widen Hwy. 59, transportation updates on Canal Drive and and improvements in the Gulf Pines neighborhood.

Early on in the meeting, Craft remarked that he did not expect such a large crowd to be present and decided to open the floor up to audience questions, which quickly turned boisterous.

Craft explained that due to the highway widening project, which will take over the current pedestrian lane on W.C. Holmes Bridge, there is a plan to construct a pedestrian bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway at the intersection of East Canal Road and East Second Street near Tacky Jacks and Big Beach Brewing.

Craft also presented a plan to reroute traffic from Canal Road through the Gulf Pines neighborhood, as the busy intersection would be closed for the bridge construction.

Many attendees were bothered by the plan, citing concerns over the number of children, pedestrians and cyclists who rely on the safety of the neighborhood streets around and extending from Meyer Park and Gulf Shores schools.

Ashley Andrews, a resident of the Gulf Pines neighborhood, said that while she appreciates the city is willing to construct a pedestrian bridge, she worries for the safety of her children if the current plan for it is approved.

"This is not the option we had hoped they would take," Andrews said. "We live in this neighborhood and chose it because of the proximity to the beach, the brewery and we are able to walk around the block to church and the park. It is heavily trafficked on foot, and we are already seeing an influx of traffic through the neighborhood, with cars often speeding more than the 25 miles per hour speed limit."

Andrews said that she has lived in Gulf Shores for over five years and has been attending meetings regarding this issue since the plan was first announced years ago.

"This has been going on for a while. I believe the first meeting was in 2018, where they showed us several different options and let us vote on the best one," Andrews said. "I don't know anyone who would have wanted them to bring the traffic through the neighborhood, and if any of the council members lived in our neighborhood they would see where we are coming from."

Another community member spoke up regarding the same issue, saying the permanent plan is to connect the road around the neighborhood to Dolphin Avenue, where he is concerned about the safety of the children given the proximity to the school and Gulf State Park.

The room grew louder with each passing minute, and tensions reached a high when the concerned man argued with Craft on the issue, seemingly interrupting the mayor due to the volume of the crowd.

Craft then told the resident, "Well, you're not the one in charge," at which point the man replied, "I never said I was." The crowd erupted, and the mayor apologized after a woman remarked that she thought the mayor's comment toward the man was uncalled for.

At this time, Craft was unavailable for comment on this issue and a future meeting regarding this topic has yet to be announced.