East Canal Rd. widening project complete; path work continues

East Canal Rd. widening project complete; path work continues

The East Canal Road widening project from Highway 161 to Wilson Boulevard is complete. The roughly 1.4-mile section of Canal Road was expanded to three lanes to allow for a middle turn lane. A roundabout was added near the public library as well as a 10-foot multi-use path on the north side of the road. An extension of the 10-foot path from Wilson Boulevard to Bear Point is expected to begin before the end of the year.
With construction complete, motorists are asked to be aware of the varying speed limits. (See map.) The speed limit from the State Hwy 161 intersection through the roundabout is 28 mph. From the roundabout to Wilson Boulevard at the Orange Beach Recreation Center is 40 mph. Then from Wilson Boulevard to Bear Point, the speed limit is 45 mph.
Thompson Engineering was the project engineer and John G. Walton Construction Company, Inc. was awarded the construction contract in the amount of $7.36 million. The project started in September 2022 and finished on time. The majority of the cost for this project, $5.9 million, will be covered by post-BP oil spill RESTORE funds.