Sidewalks will be closed ‘til Canal Rd. widening complete

Sidewalks will be closed ‘til Canal Rd. widening complete
18 month project will add turning lane, roundabout at library

Portions of the sidewalk on East Canal Road will be closed on and off between Hwy. 161 and Wilson Boulevard for the duration of the road widening project. The area is an active construction zone and will not be safe for golf carts, pedestrians or bicyclists.
The project will add a turning lane to a 1.4-mile section of the road and a roundabout is being constructed near the public library. When complete, the project will include 10-foot multi-use path on the north side of the road between Callaway Dr. and Wilson Blvd. Construction began last month and is expected to take a year and a half to complete.
Thompson Engineering is the project engineer and John G. Walton Construction Company was awarded the construction contract in the amount of $7.36 million. The majority of the cost for this project will be paid for with post-BP oil spill Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourism Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012. The RESTORE grant will cover $5.9 million.
The overall construction is expected to take a year and a half with completion in early 2024.