Foley, Ala. — (OBA) —  Foley is moving ahead with a sidewalk project. The work focuses on the Mills Community in west Foley. City officials said the route will connect to other walkways and lead to a planned community park. Mills residents voted in 2023 to annex their community into Foley. Mayor Ralph Hellmich said city officials have been planning both the sidewalk and the park since then.

The Foley City Council recently voted to solicit bids for the project. The sidewalk would connect the Mills park site to existing city walkways. Officials said the work follows years of planning and coordination.

Hellmich said the city spent about three years securing the necessary rights-of-way. “This has been about three years’ worth of work to secure the rights-of-way,” Hellmich said. He said the available rights-of-way are about 40 feet wide. “Those rights-of-way out there are very narrow, about 40 feet,” Hellmich said.

“It’s a challenge to get a sidewalk in there, and we had to address drainage,” Hellmich said. He said residents in the community are excited about the project.

Hellmich said the city’s long-term goal is to extend the route along Airport Road toward the Cedar Street complex, or at least to Hickory, so the path can connect Mills to other parts of Foley.

Taylor Davis, Foley city engineer, said the sidewalk will run along Little Rock Road, Dailey Lane, part of Baldwin County 65, and Mills Road before ending at the future community park site.

Davis said the city dealt with more than two dozen parcels, more than a dozen owners, drainage issues, and right-of-way challenges. “We got approval from the owners, and now we’re ready to go to bid,” Davis said.

Hellmich praised Davis and other Foley employees for helping advance the plans. “Taylor and everyone have done very good work, working with the community group out here to acquire these approvals,” Hellmich said. He said the city is getting easements and some outright rights of way. “This is a really big project,” Hellmich said.

Davis said that city Leisure Services workers, including Executive Director David Thompson, also helped shape the project alongside community leaders and churches in Mills. He said the Mills Community Church Organization facilitated meetings between residents and the city.

“David has done a lot of work with the community and with the Mills community leaders and those churches out there,” Davis said. “They’ve done the groundwork. They’ve done the heavy lifting.”