City staff briefed the Mobile City Council on a three-year traffic-management agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation and on local signal, right-of-way and trail projects.

The clerk introduced Resolution 01057, authorizing an agreement with ALDOT for traffic management and signal operations across the Mobile MPO urban area; staff said the agreement provides funding and consultant contracts the city uses to hire consultants to address signal-retiming and related functions under the RTOP program. Staff said prior grants have funded signal work and that current construction includes cabinet replacements and detection repairs under a roughly $2 million grant in construction.

Jennifer (staff) told the council the city had transferred funds into the grant account and will begin purchasing equipment, which will be installed as part of a secondary access-management project that includes roadway changes and new signal poles. Nick (city staff) said the Sage-to-Rhymes Road project is in right-of-way acquisition; four parcels remain under negotiation.

On the 3 Mile Creek Greenway Trail, staff said construction is underway on the Japanese Gardens trailhead and parking improvements for Segment 1 and that the city is continuing to negotiate real-estate and easements for Segment 2 (the section between the first and second railroad trestles). The clerk read an item accepting an easement for recreational purposes for Segment 2.

Why it matters: The ALDOT agreement and ongoing work will shape traffic operations across the MPO area and move forward active trail-construction and easement work that affect connectivity and recreation.

Ending: Staff offered to share a map of the Segment 2 easements with council members and said negotiations for right-of-way will continue.