FOLEY — A project to add sidewalks in the Forward City in near completion.

According to Foley City Engineer Butch Stokes, the project provides a mile of sidwalks in Foley, courtesy of state funding.

“They’re through ALDOT,” he said in a phone interview.

Stokes explained that state funding covered approximately $167,000 of the project.

“And the city paid $10,000,” he said.

That funding enabled connections to the sidewalk on Cedar Street, which Stokes called the “backbone sidewalk.”

“Right now, it connects to Foley Elementary and Middle schools,” the city engineer said.

That’s the idea, as the project is part of the state’s Safe Routes to School Program.

“The purpose of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program is to enable and encourage children in grades K-8, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school; to make walking and bicycling to school safer and more appealing; and to facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects that will improve highway safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of schools,” states information provided on the Alabama Department of Public Health website.

However, Stokes said, Foley’s new sidewalks haven’t been used as much by students.

“It’s not as extensive as the adults,” he said.

However, the city engineer pointed out, students are making heavy use of another city project.

“They’re always at the skate park,” Stokes said.

In Foley, work on the new sidewalks began in the fall. The result is paths that traverse to Mel Roberts Park on Cedar Street and through Magnolia and Oak streets. Stokes pointed out that they provide walking paths in north Baldwin. However, the city hopes to add additional sidewalks, as well.

Our plans are to connect the south part of town,” Stokes said.

But in downtown Foley, the city is funding its own Streetscape project. The work involves such things as revitalizing sidewalks and street asphalt, adding or replacing street lights, adding holders for banners or hanging flower baskets and providing underground conduits that power the lights or provide water for the baskets.

“It’s a beautification thing,” Stokes said.

He explained that Streetscape is a project the city developed several years ago and has implmented in phases that cost $250,00 to $300,000 each. The current phase, Streetscape 4, provides for the refurbishing of downtown Foley.

“Primarily the historical district,” Stokes said.

Work on Streetscape 4 has been under way this fall and was on hiatus during the holidays. But Stokes anticipates it to resume soon.