Resident raises safety concerns over gated apartment exit; council orders traffic study and to review emergency access

A Guestrooms apartment resident told the Mobile City Council on Sept. 24 that a recently installed barrier gate at the complex’s rear exit has created traffic bottlenecks, raised evacuation safety concerns and blocked access by private ambulance companies.

Kevin Johnson, an emergency medical responder and resident, said the gate installation increased traffic congestion at the complex’s one-way entrance and at a nearby signal on Airport Boulevard, and that private ambulances lack access. "Private ambulance companies such as the one I work for don't have access to that gate and that can inevitably result in delay in patient care," Johnson said.

Council members and city staff responded that the gate was installed after neighborhood requests and signatures and that the gate is accessible 24/7 to emergency personnel. "That gate is accessible 24/7 to emergency personnel," a council member said, adding that the City of Mobile Traffic Engineering will perform a field assessment and traffic counts to understand the impact and adjust signal timing if needed.

Council members also asked the public safety director to investigate whether private ambulance providers can be granted gate access and to report back. The council said it will allow data to 'simmer down' while traffic counts are collected before deciding on timing adjustments or changes to gate operation.

The council did not adopt immediate policy changes at the meeting but directed staff to gather data and explore access options for private EMS providers.