Mayor Stimpson sponsors agreement to transform Water Street

Feb 15th, 2016

Mayor Stimpson is sponsoring an agreement with Thompson Engineering, Inc. to transform Water Street from the backyard of downtown into the gateway of Mobile. The Mobile City Council is scheduled to vote on the contract during Tuesday's Council meeting.

Pending Council approval, Thompson will begin the design process for Water Street including striping, traffic signalization, landscaping and other gateway elements. The work will extend from Beauregard Street to 1,500' south of Government Street.

The purpose of the project is to connect citizens and visitors to the Mobile Riverfront and its amenities including Cooper Riverside Park, the Mobile Convention Center, GulfQuest Maritime Museum and the Mobile Cruise Terminal.

"Water Street is often people's first impression of the City Mobile," said Mayor Stimpson. "Ironically, Water Street currently prevents you from accessing the water. Our goal is to create a safer, more walkable and bikeable corridor that invites you to these attractions. "

Last year, the Stimpson Administration contracted MIG, a planning and design company, to develop a vision for Water Street. This next step is to utilize those plans to create an implementable engineering design.

New striping will form new crosswalks and bicycle and pedestrian lanes reducing the amount of vehicular traffic lanes from six to four. This will coincide with new traffic signals along portions of Water Street to create a more efficient traffic flow.

If approved, Thompson will receive $283,459.15 through TIF funds to complete this project by next fall.