The City of Orange Beach Public Works crews have been planting the new palm trees in the median of East Canal Road, west of the roundabout. Once landscaping is complete, the trees will have up-lighting as well. The "round-a-bout" project has been built to ease traffic congestion along the Canal Road and Hwy 161 intersection.

Orange Beach officials stated the next phase of the overall project will include final paving and striping. "Within the next two weeks, paving is scheduled to begin on the east end of the project at Wilson Boulevard and work westward." There will be no lane closures during the paving but lanes will be shifted. Minor delays should be expected.

Once the paving reaches the roundabout, work will be conducted during nighttime hours and the west end of the project between the roundabout and Hwy. 161 is expected to be complete in mid-March, if weather permits.

The overall project has widened roughly 1.4 miles of East Canal Road to three lanes to allow for a middle turn lane. In addition to the road widening and roundabout, a 10-foot multimodal path was constructed on the north side of the road between State Highway 161 and Wilson Boulevard.

Related Article:  Orange Beach Widens East Canal Road

Thompson Engineering is the project engineer and John G. Walton Construction Company, Inc. was awarded the construction contract in the amount of $7.36 million. The bulk of the cost was covered by a RESTORE Act grant totaling $5.9 million dollars.