Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – The city council awarded the bid for adding a third lane on Canal Road east of Doc’s Seafood Shack and Oyster Bar to John G. Walton Construction for about $7.3 million at a joint regular/work session on July 5.

Currently, Restore Act money will cover about $3.8 million of that with the city having to pay the remaining $3.5 million. Orange Beach has appealed for the extra funds from the Restore Council and is awaiting word from the council. The city appealed for more money on the project.

“That was the delay but now we’ve gotten that, about $1.5 million,” Mayor Tony Kennon said. “Hopefully we can get started in the fall.”

Walton’s bid was $500,000 less than one submitted by H.O. Weaver and Sons.

A third center lane will be added from State Route 161 to Wilson Boulevard or the Orange Beach Recreation Center. In the area of the library and arts center a roundabout will be included to give customers headed to Doc’s a place to safely turn around.

Also included will be a 10-foot-wide intermodal path along the same stretch of roadway with future plans to extend the new path all the way to Bear Point.

Officials hope the project will begin this fall and would take one year to 18 months to complete.

"We should see mobilization here real soon,” Community Development Director Kit Alexander said. “There will be occasional lane closures.”

Alexander said other work is planned at two city buildings on the route.

“We are doing some improvements at the senior center and the library that’s not included in the project,” Alexander said. “We’re doing the entrance, parking lots and other improvements.”

During the regular session, the council:

• Failed to act on a resolution appropriating a lump-sum payment to retirees for $2 per every month of service. The total to Orange Beach would have been $35,692. The motion died for lack of a second.
• Approved a special events liquor license for the Swanky Gala 2022 fundraiser for Youth-Reach Gulf Coast on Aug. 11-13 at the Orange Beach Event Center. The actual event is 7:30-11:30 p.m. on Aug. 12.
• Approved a temporary modular building at the site of the future Medical Office Plaza.
• Rescheduled the July 19 council meetings for July 26 and rescheduling four public hearings and first readings of proposed ordinances for July 26. Orange Beach City Schools is having a family night at the Oasis lazy river at The Wharf on July 19 from 4-8 p.m.
• Approved a resolution for a contract with Glow Yoga for water-based fitness instruction at the Wind and Water Learning Center.
• Approved a resolution authorizing a contract with Alex Hamilton for golf instruction services.
• Approved resolutions authorizing the purchase of 12 SUVs for $577,448 and a prisoner transport van for $60,998 for the police department. The 12 vehicles are Chevy Tahoes with eight two-wheel drive SUVs and four with four-wheel drive and one of those will also be equipped with a cage. The van is a Ford 250 Transit.
• Approved a resolution for a contract with Vector Solutions for fire department scheduling software for about $5,000 a year.
• Approved a resolution to spend $60,000 for a sign at the Performing Arts and entering a contract with Modern Signs to fabricate and install a portion of the sign for $39,998.
• Approved a resolution accepting donation of the Orange Beach Community Center property from the Orange Beach Community Center Corp. and authorizing execution of a consensual termination of leases.

During the work session, the council discussed:

• A resolution for a contract with Mark D. Pavey for architectural and engineering services for the design of the Medical Office Plaza.
• A resolution awarding the bid for debris clearance and disposal and sand reclamation and a resolution awarding a bid for debris monitoring, disaster management and recovery services. The bids were opened on June 30.
• A resolution authorizing a contract with Jody Hodo for softball coaching services.
• A resolution reappointing Chris Hicks and Sted McCollough and appointing Vince McCoy to the Fire Code Board of Appeals.
• A resolution reappointing Russ Hart, Jon Townsend, Greg Kennedy and Jeff Silvers and appointing Sted McCollough to the Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals.
• A resolution appointing Tim Harry, Ryan Beebe and Jimmy Boyd to the Board of Adjustment.