Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – Two projects to improve north-south access in Foley are scheduled to be completed by the end of January.

Work is nearing completion on the extension of South Pecan Street and Juniper Street.

The South Pecan Street extension will provide an alternative route for drivers between U.S. 98 and Pride Drive, Mayor Ralph Hellmich said.

“Our long-awaited South Pecan Street should be completed this month and should be open to the public, Hellmich said. “It’s that short section right here north of Pride Drive that will allow people another access north and south on the east side of Foley.”

The Foley City Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 2, to approve an additional $400,000 to complete the project.

The additional funding will cover costs such as curbing and sidewalks as well as increased costs due to inflation since the project was approved in 2020.

Jeff Phillips, Foley construction manager, said sidewalk work should be complete in about two weeks.

Hellmich said city officials also hope to have the Juniper Street extension completed in January. The city reopened the intersection of Juniper Street and Miflin Road, Baldwin County 20, in December. 

That intersection was closed while crews installed mast arms, mast arm poles and signal heads. Sidewalks, curbs, gutters, a transition curb and the milling of transitions for the new paving were also part of the project.

The extension will take Juniper farther south and then west to link with Alabama 59. Most of the work on the road extension is also complete, but the city and Alabama Department of Transportation are working on the intersection at Alabama 59.

“We have gotten what I call the northern intersection back open,” Hellmich said. “It had to be realigned. We hope to have that south intersection done. That one is down now where it comes out on Highway 59. That is the transfer point with ALDOT. It moves a little bit slower when we work with our ALDOT partners projects. They’re very thorough, so it can move a little slow.”

When both extensions are opened, the roads should take some traffic pressure off Alabama 59 and city streets, Hellmich said. 

He said Foley is also working with the state and county and other road projects.

The city and state plan to soon go out for bids to complete improvements at the intersection of Alabama 50 and Baldwin County 12. 

Baldwin County is working to extend Baldwin County 20 west to Hickory Street. Hellmich said that project is in the county budget for 2025. He said that extension will take traffic pressure off Michigan Avenue.