SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Former city engineer Ronald Gibson implored the City Council to move forward with a traffic study abandoned more than four years ago in the hopes it could help control future growth at a critical point in Spanish Fort’s development.

Specifically, Gibson is referring to a study commissioned by the city in 2007, and begun by Birmingham-based Skipper Consulting Inc. but apparently never completed.

Gibson said the completed study could assist with future traffic planning – especially as it relates to justifying the nixed plans for an Interstate 10 service road – as well as help drive land use planning along the soon to be widened U.S. Highway 31 corridor while also providing access management to that corridor.

“All I’m asking is that you take the study forward to its completion and weigh the results,” Gibson told the council during the public participation portion of Monday’s regular meeting.

Gibson has argued repeatedly for the Alabama Department of Transportation to choose proper medians as opposed to lengthy turn lanes often referred to as “suicide lanes” when widening the corridor.

District 4 Councilman Tom Sawyer, who also represents the council on the Planning Commission, told Gibson during the work session prior to the meeting that Skipper Consulting President Darrell Skipper has already announced his intentions to meet with both Sawyer and Mayor Joe Bonner when he travels to Baldwin County next week.

“The median issue is not dead,” Sawyer said, noting Skipper has expressed interest, however, in focusing on safety above aesthetics. Gibson contends his argument also promotes safety as the priority.