Join us for a groundbreaking ceremony
Join Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Josh McElhenney of McElhenney Construction Company, Dr. Amy Hunter of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Tom Piper of South Alabama Regional Planning Commission at the intersection of N. Jefferson and St. Louis streets for a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday September 19th at 11:15am. The ceremony marks the beginning of construction for a transformational “Complete Streets” project aimed at making St. Louis Street safer and more accessible for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
The St. Louis Street project will completely rebuild 17 blocks of one of the most exciting business corridors in downtown Mobile. The nearly $17 million investment is about more than just resurfacing, as it will add new landscaping, street lighting, ADA crossings and improvements to water, sewer and gas lines, while making the street safer and improving stormwater drainage. Alabama Power and other overhead utility providers will also be moving infrastructure, like powerlines and fiber off St. Louis Street to create more pedestrian space and improve sightlines.
Over the last 15 years, St. Louis Street has transformed from an area marked by abandoned buildings to a bustling business corridor with a growing number of offices, businesses, restaurants, local breweries, and retail spaces. To support future economic development, the City of Mobile is using federal funds to improve pedestrian safety and replace aging infrastructure.
McElhenney Construction Company will complete the work along the corridor, and the project is expected to take roughly two and a half years. The city and the contractor are making great efforts to minimize impacts to businesses during this time by using a block-by-block construction plan to keep the majority of the roadway and connecting streets open and accessible throughout the project timeline.
This project was funded, in part, with federal funding from the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act). Additional funding and support is being provided by the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS), and the City of Mobile.
