Eastern Shore MPO has amended its FY24-27 Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) list to add sidewalk repair and replacement on US HWY 98 in Fairhope, per its Tuesday, April 16 meeting.

The TIP is a short-term, four-year plan that involves funded projects across Baldwin County, any projects including federal dollars and located in the ESMPO planning area required to be in the ESMPO's TIP. The sidewalk repair and replacement on US HWY 98 is a part of its FY25 plan, addressing issues such as broken/raised panels and inaccessible ramps from mile post 43.50 to mile post 46.50 with a cost estimate at $500,000 (ESMPO: $400,000; Local: $100,000; Sponsor: Fairhope).

Also in the recent amendments, ESMPO announced it's increasing resurfacing on CR-64 alongside intersection improvements at Pollard (CN) from $1,722,059 to $2,305,009 for its FY24 plans, and increasing widening, resurfacing and intersection improvements on CR-64 at SR-181 to Montelucia Way (UT) from $1,270,680 to $1,570,680 for its FY25 slate. Other upcoming efforts in the ESMPO's TIP include new construction on Pleasant Road (FY24), a roundabout at North Section Street/Scenic 98/Triangle Dr. (FY24), and intersection improvements on Jimmy Faulkner Dr. at Plaza De Toros DR (FY25), among others.

"There exists a major sidewalk system within the US HWY 98 ROW within the corporate limits of the City of Fairhope," ESMPO's project submittal states. "This sidewalk system has formed and expanded organically as the US HWY 98 corridor has developed into a heavy commercial district. These sidewalks, due to their genesis, are somewhat orphaned. The city does not have jurisdiction and ALDOT does not accept maintenance responsibility. Over time, due to age and environmental factors, these sidewalks have fallen into poor repair and poses ADA compliancy issues. This project proposes to tear out and replace all compromised segments with new, ADA compliant sidewalks."

The city wishes, once this three-mile project (3,351 linear feet of six and eight-foot sidewalk) is completed, to enter a construction management agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) for any future maintenance to solve current issues with jurisdictional responsibilities. Surveys, engineering, design and letting were all suggested to be done 100% in-house. Construction is set to cost $487,545 with an additional $12,455 going toward construction engineering and inspection.