Traffic growth is sparking an expansion already at Gulf Shores International Airport. At an upcoming work session meeting, the city council will consider financing to begin planning for an expansion. The initial phase, said City Administrator Jon Walker, will cost about $1.5 million and the city is seeking to use a line of credit to fund the project.

The council will meet on Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.

“Commercial airline service to Gulf Shores International Airport began May 2025 following completion of the initial terminal and has been extremely successful,” a memo from Walker states. “The City’s initial Airport terminal is already insufficient to accommodate any additional service expansions at the Airport.”

Walker said Allegiant Airlines is supportive of the move and hopes the airport can eventually “accommodate dual aircraft operations and schedule overlaps,” Walker’s memo states.

Since the start of commercial service on May 21, more than 40,000 passengers have moved through Gulf Shores, according to published reports. Also, more than 600 cars were rented and more than 600 passengers hired Uber or Lyft ride services for airport customers.

This fall, three new routes have been or are scheduled to be added including Appleton, Wisconsin on Oct. 2, Des Moines on Oct. 3 and Nashville starting on Nov. 21, according to published reports.

Additionally, on Aug. 1, LuLu’s opened a presence in the airport terminal serving up food and selling merchandise to travelers. See related story: Gulf Shores Airport Welcomes LuLu’s to Terminal Lineup.

The initial $1.5 million will be for the design and development phase of the expansion, Walker’s memo states.

During the work session, the council will also discuss:

• Accepting a proposal from WAS Design for $190,000 for work on a plaza for the new pedestrian bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway at East Second Street. This will include the design of parks on the north and south landings of the bridge. This will be paid for by money from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act and is one of 23 projects in Alabama funded by GOMESA.
• Awarding the contract for traffic signal construction at Cotton Creek Drive and Medical Village Boulevard to Bagby & Russell Electric for $533,215. Another agenda item is a proposal from Bagby & Russell Electric for a traffic signal installation at Coastal Gateway Boulevard and Wavemaker Way or the entrance to the new high school in the southwest intersection of Coastal Gateway and the Foley Beach Express. The contract is for $317,007.
• Awarding a contract for construction of the Beach Walking District phase three to Trenchline Civil for $1.15 million. This will include new roadway, parking, sidewalks, landscaping and stormwater infrastructure on West First Avenue from State Route 59 to West First Street.
• Two items to extend lobbying services for the city in Montgomery and Washington. Van Scoyoc Associates will monitor federal items pertaining to Gulf Shores for $5,500 a month plus expenses and Christie Strategy Group will monitor state legislative issues for the city for $12,000 per quarter plus expenses.
• Reappointing Councilman Philip Harris to the planning commission and Ken McKenzie as administrative law judge.
• An appeal from the property owner at 1352 Fairway Drive on the denial by the city to remove a heritage live oak from the property. The owner was given permission to take down two protected oaks but was denied approval on the heritage live oak.