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Baldwin County approves intergovernmental agreement to extend Bridal Road to McMeans Avenue in Bay Minette
Summary
The Baldwin County Commission approved an intergovernmental roadway construction agreement with the City of Bay Minette to extend Bridal Road to McMeans Avenue (State Route 59), add turn lanes, a signalized pedestrian crossing and multimodal trails to improve school and commercial traffic flow.
The Baldwin County Commission on Sept. 16 approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Bay Minette to extend Bridal Road to McMeans Avenue (State Route 59), add turn lanes and a signalized pedestrian crossing and build sidewalks and multiuse trails.
County Engineer Frank Lundy, who presented the project, said the agreement had been approved by the Bay Minette City Council the night before and asked the commission to act “hot off the press.” Lundy said the project is the fifth under the county’s 30-cube infrastructure partnership program and is intended to improve traffic circulation near Bay Minette Middle School, the high school and nearby ball fields.
“The project will connect a new road from the middle school straight out to Highway 59,” Lundy said. He described planned intersection safety improvements near the high school and an improved crossing at 59 that the city currently lacks.
Bay Minette Mayor Wills emphasized the long-term benefits for traffic, pedestrian safety and drainage, saying, “This project is going to be of an enormous benefit to the city, not just in the short term, but the long term.” He said the project had been under consideration since about 2018 and that county partnership allowed the city to complete it more quickly and with fewer procedural delays.
Officials said the work will add turn lanes, a new traffic signal at the 59 crossing, improved intersection geometry by the Walmart and Dollar General areas, sidewalks and multimodal trails to serve walking routes between schools and ball fields. The presentation also noted drainage work that could open currently low, wet forested parcels to future development along Highway 59.
The commission voted by voice to approve the intergovernmental roadway construction agreement; the motion carried after commissioners answered “Aye.” The agenda item did not include a roll-call tally in the meeting record.
The agreement was presented as a local-government partnership to improve safety for school traffic, tournament traffic at the ball fields and freight access for nearby businesses. The county staff recommended approval; the commission adopted the recommendation.
Action and next steps: the agreement was approved by the commission; staff and the city will proceed with project design and implementation under the terms of the intergovernmental agreement. A construction schedule, contract award and specific funding splits were not specified in the meeting record.
