Mobile council previews state-funded GoMesa designs for Riverwalk expansion and Berkeley By The Bay
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Summary
City staff said two state GoMesa grants will fund design and engineering agreements for Riverwalk expansion and Berkeley By The Bay, with design work expected to take about nine months to a year for Berkeley By The Bay; council will see the design agreements on upcoming agendas.
City staff told the Mobile City Council at a Jan. 20 pre-meeting that two state GoMesa grants approved in October will fund design and engineering work for two waterfront projects: an access-road and complete-street segment called Berkeley By The Bay and an expansion of the Riverwalk that will connect Cooper Riverside through the convention center to port property.
The projects will begin with agreements to complete design and engineering, city project staff said. “The first steps on both projects are agreements to do the design and engineering,” the presenter said, noting those design agreements will appear on council agendas within about two weeks.
The Berkeley By The Bay work is an access road and pedestrian route that will connect Bridal to Broad Street and tie into a future phase 3; staff estimated design will take approximately nine months to a year. The Riverwalk expansion is intended to link improvements at Cooper Riverside, the convention center and adjacent port property so pedestrians can walk continuously along the waterfront.
Clerk announcements indicated the council will consider a $4,000,000 GoMesa item for Mobile Riverfront Park enhancement, phase 3, and a related $3,500,000 agreement through the state Department of Coastal and Natural Resources for the Brookley by the Bay Southern Activation Zone. City staff said grant funds will pay for the initial design and engineering work; later phases and construction timelines were not finalized at the pre-meeting.
Council members asked questions about the project limits, noting the Riverwalk currently stops at the north end of the convention center and that the new work will extend it up to the port-owned property. City staff said the design will accommodate future compatible development along the waterfront.
Next steps: staff said the council should expect design and engineering agreements on the regular agenda in the coming weeks; no construction contracts or final approvals were voted on during the pre-meeting.