Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – After having to reject bids that were extremely over budget, Gulf Shores is finally moving forward with the construction of a $24.3 million pedestrian bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway at East Second Street and Canal Road.

“Obviously, this has been a long time coming with the problems that we had in the first design and first bid that we had then came in dramatically over budget, not even close for consideration,” Mayor Robert Craft said. “So, Volkert went back to the task and worked on their nickel to design this bridge and replace the design that failed so poorly the last time.”

After its scheduled work session on Jan. 6, the council went into a specially called meeting to address the bridge.

“Part of the reason we called a special session is those bids were good for 30 days,” Capital Projects Director Clint Colvin said. “Technically, that would expire the day before the next council meeting.”

The latest bid from Harrison Construction was $19.8 million, but the city also opted for two alternate bids bringing the amount to just more than $24 million to add parking spaces on both sides of the bridge.

“We recommend to award the bid in an amount not to exceed $24.3 million to give us the flexibility to make some minor changes as we see fit during the project,” Colvin said. “This base bid includes the tide-arch pedestrian bridge, two stair-elevator towers, all the utility relocations and the plazas on both sides.”

Craft said adding the parking would take the burden off of businesses in the areas and the on-street parking in the Gulf Pines neighborhood.

“This is on budget and includes two levels of parking one on the north and one on the south, which are really mandatory to be able to not steal the parking from all of the businesses that locate around that,” Craft said.

Ramps for handicap access were scrapped to cut into the cost, but the city opted for larger elevators instead.

“These elevators are freight-sized and we did test them out to see you can fit at least three bicycles and three people in them and we do have an emergency generator if we lose power to them,” Colvin said.

Colvin said the cost will be paid for in the 2025 and 2026 budget years and the city will use $7.9 million from a federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development or BUILD grant to help defray the costs.

Once the contractor starts, the contract calls for 765 days for construction and Colvin estimated it could be completed about Thanksgiving of 2026.

The only other item on the special agenda to receive council action was the hiring of Matthew c. McDonald as city attorney replacing the retiring Donald Stewart.