Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Improvements to County Road 6 are slated to begin with a design contract for Neel-Shaffer to design the upgrades sought in the project. Most of the work will be done at the County Road 6 and State Route 59 intersection. This project will also tie into the third southbound lane along State Route 59. The design cost for the project from Neel-Shaffer is $477,900.

The Gulf Shores City Council will discuss the project at its Aug. 4 work session at 4 p.m. in council chambers at city hall. The contract won’t be voted on until it is brought up in a regular session and could be as early as Aug. 11.

Proposed improvements include:

•   Addition of a second westbound turn lane from State Route 59 NB
•  Construction of a new westbound turn lane on State Route 59 southbound
•  Addition of a second westbound lane to the second entrance of Colonial Traditions
•   Addition of a second eastbound lane from Thomas Plash Lane to State Route 59
•  Extension of the southbound turn lane to the entrance to Gulf Breeze RV resort
•   Construction of a third southbound lane on State Route 59 to tie to the forthcoming State Route 59 widening
•   Design of new multi-use trail along County Road 6 west
• Intersection Improvements to County Road 6 east or Oak Road East to allow for future improvements to the east

During the work session, the council will also:

• Discuss a contract with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for the city to hear variance requests and patrol the beaches as part of the Alabama Coastal Area Management Plan. The city does this annually and will be reimbursed by ADEM for $66,500.
• Recognize Shea Etheredge as the firefighter of the quarter and Mitch Craft as lifeguard of the month.
• Recognize several fire department members “that have voluntarily demonstrated major effort toward the completion of the first stage of the training center” being built at the west end of 36th Avenue West.
• Removing pine trees as protected or heritage trees on single-family or duplex lots.
• Adding lots 20-25 of the Bon Secour South subdivision into the planned unit development zoned as a medium-density single-family district.
• Donating K-9 Darlin back to Sgt. Stacey McElroy who originally donated Darlin to the city in June of 2017. Darlin retired on March 1 and lives with McElroy.
• Donating K-9 Edo to his handler, Officer Shane Andrews. Edo has been taken off patrol due to health and age issues.
• An assembly permit for the Brett Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon on Sept. 6.