GULF SHORES — When planners involved in the Gulf State Park Project go to ask for a permit to build a pedestrian bridge over Alabama 182, they won’t face the usual number of hoops to jump …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Please log in to continue |
GULF SHORES — When planners involved in the Gulf State Park Project go to ask for a permit to build a pedestrian bridge over Alabama 182, they won’t face the usual number of hoops to jump through.
There would be only one permit required to put the bridge over a state highway, according to state officials.
“From what I was told it wasn’t starting or ending on state right of way,” Engineer Vince Calametti said. “It would just go over it. So it’s more of an air draft permit they would require from us rather than an actual permit to be on state property.”
Calametti is the Southwest engineer for the Alabama Department of Transportation. He said the Foley bridge across Alabama 59 just north of U.S. 98 required more permitting.
While the master plan for the project has no mention of a pedestrian bridge over Alabama 182, the August update calls for one to be built just west of the Saltwater Pavilion as part of the proposed Interpretive Center.
It would connect the new center to be built on the beach side of Alabama 182 to the trail system north of the state roadway.
“It’s something that evolved through study of the movement of the pedestrians and bikers,” Leon Barkan of Volkert Engineering said. “It was important for us to create some connectivity between the amenities south of Gulf Beach Highway and connected to the trail network and the amenities north of it.”
Barkan is the principal in charge for Volkert on the Gulf State Park Project and also a vice president for program and construction management.
“The Interpretive Center is designed as a gateway to the rest of the park,” Barkan said. “Our hope is to have folks come in and learn all about the great things that the Gulf has to offer.
“Once they learn about it to use that as a kickoff point then to the rest of the park and all the interpretive experiences they’ll have along the trail network. It’s going to be awesome.”
Barkan said workers will return to the lodge site to begin phase two of the work on that part of the project. Little work has taken place on the beach front site in the past two weeks.
“We’ve done the foundation package for the lodge,” Barkan said. “It’s complete. We’ve bid and contracted the next phase of the lodge project which is the shell and core.
“Essentially this contractor will be doing all the site infrastructure, all the structural components of the building, all of the exterior component. The windows, the siding, the roofing, getting the building weather tight.”
Also completed are several miles of trails and dune restoration.
“We finished the first phase of the trails which included a significant amount of paved trails, some elevated boardwalk trails, landscape improvements along the trails,” Barkan said. “At the same time we did that we bid the shell and core package for the lodge, we bid the second phase of the trails package.”
The plan is to open bids on the Interpretive Center and Learning Campus early next year, Barkan said.
“The Interpretive Center and Learning Campus are in the process of being designed,” he said. “We anticipate January or February for them going to the bid market.”
The controversial $135 million project faces at least three lawsuits over funding and a judge ruled the state couldn’t use a $58 million grant from National Resource Damage Assessment monies for a lodge and convention center.
Former Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Director Charley Grimsley’s suit was thrown out by a Montgomery circuit court in July, but he has vowed to keep fighting the use of BP money for the project.
