RESTORE Act will fund variety of game changing projects on Pleasure Island
RESTORE Act will fund variety of game changing projects on Pleasure Island
Earlier this month, the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council held a public meeting to vote on projects for inclusion in Alabama’s Draft Multiyear Implementation Plan (MIP) and Draft State Expenditure Plan (SEP). The council selected 48 projects to receive more than $315 million for infrastructure, economic development and ecosystem restoration in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Eight projects are in Orange Beach and four in Gulf Shores. Once fully developed, the draft plans will be released for a 45-day public comment period.
Funding for the projects is made available through the RESTORE Act and stems from fines and penalties paid by companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The AGRC approved projects totaling $19,489,750 were approved for Orange Beach and $19,181,540 for Gulf Shores. That is in addition to a joint road project that includes Baldwin County and five Baldwin County cities totaling $56,800,000.
“I am proud of the diligent approach my colleagues on the Alabama Council have taken to determine the most responsible way to allocate these monies,” said Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft. “The projects that have been approved for Gulf Shores will make an immediate and lasting positive impact on our environment, infrastructure and economy once they are completed.”
Each of these projects will be included in Alabama’s Draft Multiyear Implementation Plan and Draft State Expenditure Plan. These plans will be released for public comment for 45 days after which time they will move to the Federal RESTORE Council for final approval. Visit restorealabama.org or restorethegulf.gov for more information.
Gulf Shores RESTORE Projects
• Ambassadors of the Environment: $9,748,254 (City of Gulf Shores). The purpose of the Gulf Shores Ambassadors of the Environment Program is to create a sustainably-designed ecotourism program where participants can learn about the ecology, biodiversity, sustainability, and resource management of the northern Gulf of Mexico in order to promote conservation and stewardship of our natural resources. The City of Gulf Shores will construct a state-of-the-art facility, utilizing the latest green building technologies, on 11.86 acres of City-owned property located adjacent to Gulf State Park. The architecture will mimic functional natural cycles found in the many habitat types that are easily accessible in coastal Alabama.
• Baldwin County ALDOT Capacity Improvements: $21,700,000 (Baldwin County). This project is part of a larger transportation infrastructure project that will improve traffic conditions and increase capacity in five areas around Baldwin County. The overall project cost will be $126.6 million, with $56.8 million coming from RESTORE. The Gulf Shores portion of the project is estimated to cost $21.7 million, and will vastly improve the connections from AL-59 to the Foley Beach Express, including the widening of SR-180 (Canal Rd.), improvements to intersections, and other ancillary connections. This project, in conjunction with other improvements will greatly reduce congestion in the area.
• Fort Morgan Parkway Trail Enhancement: $4,433,600 (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama State Parks). The Fort Morgan Parkway Trail Enhancement Project will extend and complete the Fort Morgan Trail from Fort Morgan Historical Park to Gulf State Park and includes the construction of a mid-zone to provide parking, restroom facilities, and interpretive signage. When completed, the Fort Morgan Trail will provide approximately 30 miles of recreation trail from Fort Morgan to Orange Beach and will connect with numerous trails spurs and loops along the way.
• Little Lagoon Restoration Project: $5,995,686 (City of Gulf Shores). The Little Lagoon Restoration Project will restore and improve approximately 2,500 acres of habitat within Little Lagoon by creating 1,000 feet of living shoreline, improving hydrologic connectivity of the existing canal system, converting approximately 200 septic systems to City sanitary sewer, restoring shellfish and marsh/seagrass, and conducting ecological research and long-term monitoring. Project objectives include improvements to water quality, increased habitat area, and increased ecological productivity. The project will have secondary beneficial impacts to the region including improved and more resilient infrastructure, and increased recreation and ecotourism opportunities.
Orange Beach RESTORE Projects
• Baldwin County Road Improvements (Al. Dept. Of Transportation) – $56,800,000. ALDOT, Baldwin County, Spanish Fort, Daphne, Fairhope, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores are cooperatively pursuing the completion of five major infrastructure projects to reduce congestion and enhance access to and between the surrounding areas. The project partners seek to leverage funding to add additional lanes to three major state routes in five separate projects, totaling 18.31 miles of capacity improvements. This includes the widening of Canal Road in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.
• Alabama Point Seawall Repair (City of Orange Beach) – $2,488,000. The purpose of this project is to rebuild the existing Alabama Point Seawall with a more resilient method of construction for the tidally-influenced marine environment and to protect the recent improvements on the upland portion of the area. Implementation of this project will protect a unique and valuable public access point at Perdido Pass Seawall Park.
• Canal Road Improvements East of State Road 161 (City of Orange Beach) – $1,848,270. This project will promote community resilience and economic growth by addressing the hindrance of economic development on Canal Road east of and near the SR-161 intersection in Orange Beach. Growth of businesses and the tourism industry in Orange Beach have led to increased traffic volumes, resulting in a need to enhance capacity and efficiency. This project will provide sufficient infrastructure improvements to allow the City of Orange Beach to safely address economic growth to benefit the local economy.
• Environmental Restoration of Cotton Bayou & Terry Cove (City of Orange Beach) – $500,000. This project will develop an ecological understanding of the environmental and ecological health of the Cotton Bayou/Terry Cove Systems with an outcome to understand what restoration activities would enhance the overall health of the system. This planning activity will provide engineering and design and a cost estimate for proposed restoration.
• Expansion of the Orange Beach Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center (City of Orange Beach) – $183,500. The purpose of this project is to expand the capacity and capabilities of the current rehabilitation facility to accommodate additional types of species. These improvements will also allow an upgrade from short and intermediate rehabilitation terms to long term rehabilitation resulting in less transfers and euthanasia outcomes. Marketing and outreach elements of this proposal intend to recruit, increase program awareness, disseminate educational messaging, and improve passive prevention/mitigation efforts.
• Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station (Auburn University) – $9,000,000. This project proposes the construction of the GCERS facility in Orange Beach to support fundamental and applied engineering research for coastal issues in Alabama, including water quality, restoration and protection of natural resources, and coastal emergency management. Additionally, this project includes two years’ funding for operations and maintenance (O&M) of facility. This phased project will include planning, engineering & design, construction, and O&M.
• Gulf Coast Wildlife Recovery and Interpretive Center: Feasibility, Planning & Preliminary Design (City of Orange Beach) – $275,000. This project proposes planning and design to expand the Gulf Coast Wildlife Recovery and Interpretive Center in Orange Beach. Once implemented, this facility would provide rehabilitation services for a variety of species as well as tourism and stewardship opportunities.
• Orange Beach North Sewer Force Main Upgrade (City of Orange Beach) – $5,195,000. This project consists of the replacement of approximately 8 miles of sewer force main from a point on Highway 180 in Orange Beach to an existing lift station on County Road 12. The area benefitted by this upgrade will include areas north and east of Wolf Bay to Josephine as well as areas directly served by the force main. Implementation of this project will improve water quality in Wolf Bay by preventing failures in the existing main and decreasing the use of on-site septic systems.
Visit restorealabama.org or restorethegulf.gov for more information.
Other Notable RESTORE Projects
• Baldwin Beach Express 1-10 to 1-65 Extension Right of Way Acquisition (Baldwin County) – $11,340,000. This submittal seeks funding for Right of Way (ROW) property to accommodate the proposed 24.5 mile Baldwin Beach Express extension between 1-10 and 1-65. The objective is to acquire all right-of-way necessary to move to the construction phase. Regional economic recovery, tourism, industrial growth, and public safety are supported and enhanced through the completion of this project.
• Characterization and Delineation of Significant Sand Resource Areas Essential for Beach Restoration, Offshore Alabama – $922,500.
• Development for a Regional Strategic Plan for the Coastal Alabama Region – $562,500.
• New Stream-Gaging Station on Fish River at Co Rd 32 (Baldwin Co.) – $87,250.
• Lillian Park Beach Habitat and Shoreline Protection – $626,460.
• Longevity, Stability & Water Quality Improvements, Bon Secour DMDA – $340,744.
• Fairhope Sewer Upgrade Phase I – $10,000,000.