MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — Beginning Monday, Sept. 22, the City of Mobile will begin roadwork in the downtown area connected to two major initiatives: the Downtown Street Optimization Project and the St. Louis Street Complete Streets Project. This will temporarily close some downtown streets.
On Monday, September 22, St. Louis Street will close from Springhill Avenue to Bayou Street as part of a comprehensive 17-block rebuild of this important downtown corridor. Bayou Street will remain open for approximately two weeks, at which point Springhill Ave. to Scott Street will be closed.
The $17 million St. Louis Street project will replace aging infrastructure and improve stormwater and drainage features, street lighting, landscaping and ADA accessibility. The project will also replace and repair the utilities underground throughout the corridor, including water and sewer lines.
The timeline is roughly two and half years, but construction will be implemented block by block to keep most of the roadway and connecting streets open. This will also minimize disruption for the businesses on St. Louis Street. Future press releases will be issued as the project progresses.
We will continue to work closely with businesses and residents to provide updates and address issues as they arise. Please note that the businesses along the corridor are open and will remain open throughout the project. We ask that Mobilians continue to support them through the project.
As part of the City’s ongoing effort to make downtown safer and more accessible, several streets will be converted from one-way to two-way traffic beginning next week. The restriping and related street sign changes will take place overnight from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. to avoid confusion.
To accommodate this work, on-street parking will be unavailable on those days. Temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted the day of each conversion. Vehicles left on the street may be towed.
Based on the current street conversion schedule, Warren Street between Church Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave will be changed on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 23. Dearborn Street, between Church and Congress streets will be changed on the evening Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Motorists can expect the new two-way street configurations the following morning. Once converted to two-way traffic, these streets will use a yield-flow traffic model that allows traffic to safely move in both directions while still maintaining on-street parking.
