Canal Road Section Closed Five Days For Bridge Work
Gulf Shores News Staff • February 19, 2026
Work over the roadway on the new Intracoastal Waterway Bridge
Canal Road between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach will close temporarily so crews can safely continue work on the new Intracoastal Waterway Bridge. The Alabama Department of Transportation says the short-term shutdown is needed to allow contractors to work directly over the roadway. The closure will affect drivers who use Canal Road as a main east-west route near the bridge project area. Motorists are urged to plan ahead and expect delays while the work takes place.
According to ALDOT, the contractor Scott Bridge Company will close a section of Canal Road for five days to complete bridge painting work over the roadway. The shutdown will enable crews to safely install a protective concrete barrier wall and apply the final coat of paint to the steel girders crossing Canal Road.
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The closure is set to start at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, and will last until 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. During that period, all traffic will be blocked on the affected section of Canal Road near the new bridge. Drivers must follow marked detour routes around the work zone.
ALDOT officials state the temporary closure is necessary to safeguard both workers and the public while crews work on the live roadway. Working above moving traffic is unsafe during this phase, so Canal Road must be closed while the barrier wall is being constructed and painted. Once the work is finished, the road will reopen in its usual configuration.
“Motorists are encouraged to plan for extra travel time and to use alternate routes during the closure,” ALDOT said in the announcement. The agency also asked drivers to stay alert to workers and equipment in the area as traffic patterns shift before and after the shutdown.
The Canal Road closure is part of a larger project to construct a new Intracoastal Waterway Bridge and enhance traffic flow to Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Once completed, the new bridge and associated road improvements are expected to reduce congestion, improve safety, and ensure more reliable access for residents, tourists, and emergency responders along the Baldwin County coast.
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