The pedestrian bridge project underway in Gulf Shores will have adjacent park space on either side of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) completely funded by a $3.6 million grant the city was awarded in Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GoMESA) funds.

Lee Jones, assistant city administrator for Gulf Shores, said plans for this project have been in the works since June 2024, when WAS Design was hired to develop renderings for the spaces in preparation for the GoMESA grant application.

The plaza on the northern side of the ICW is set to be approximately .75 acres, and the southern side is set to be approximately 1.5 acres.

The city is looking to restart the design process in the coming weeks as the WAS Design plans were conceptual only. Jones said the design phase of the project is set to be completed in six to nine months.

"We still have a lot of design work to accomplish to make sure the spaces meet the needs of the community and come in on or under budget," he said.

The city is not currently planning to have any driveways or parking lots in either park space. The pedestrian bridge project, however, is set to have on-street public parking included in its site plan on both sides of the ICW.

The parks are to enhance the pedestrian bridge by improving accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists, managing traffic flow to the pedestrian bridge elevator by providing a "waiting area," providing a safe and comfortable space for those going across the bridge, fostering community engagement with the surrounding district and encouraging walking and biking among residents and visitors.

"It will benefit surrounding residents by providing another passive park space, in addition to Meyer Park, for residents to relax and play," Jones said. "We hope that it will also provide additional outdoor dining opportunities for residents to enjoy restaurants and breweries that overlook the park."

Jones said the city would like to see adjacent businesses engage with the park spaces to create a "very active, vibrant environment in this area." The city also expects the areas to be used in community events and informal gatherings among families and friends.

The overall completion of the parks will align with the completion of the pedestrian bridge project.