Foley, Ala. — (OBA) —  The Foley City Council has approved a new four-way stop at South Cypress Street and East Orange Avenue as work continues on the city’s new library and community center. The move aims to improve safety in an area expected to see more drivers and pedestrians. City officials said the intersection sits at the northeast corner of the property where the new facility is being built. They added that the added stop should help calm traffic near the project.

The vote came as Foley continues to make street and pedestrian improvements around the library site. The new library is expected to open this summer. City officials said the building will have about 40,000 square feet of space, making it about twice the size of the current facility.

The intersection of South Cypress Street and East Orange Avenue will now require traffic from all directions to stop. City leaders said the change is intended to make the area safer as activity around the new library and community center increases. The project is expected to attract more vehicles and more people walking nearby, raising concerns about how traffic will move through the area.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said visibility problems played a major role in the decision. “One of the reasons is the sightline issue,” Hellmich said. “They evaluated this during the construction of the new library and the increase in pedestrians in that area. There is a sightline issue with some of the structures built in conjunction with the library.”

Hellmich said a four-way stop makes more sense for the area as the project takes shape. “Having a four-way there would better align with that and slow traffic in those two-block areas,” he said. His comments pointed to a broader effort to make the streets around the new building safer and easier to use. The intersection changes are part of that larger plan.

The stop sign is just one part of the work underway near the library site. The city recently completed improvements to South Chicago Street, which connects the area to U.S. 98. The project included brick pavers, walkways, decorative lighting, green spaces, and additional street trees. Together, these upgrades are designed to improve access and appearance around one of Foley’s major public projects.