New North-South Route between Mobile Hwy and 9-Mile Road West of I-10 a Possibility

A large mixed-use development planned for NW District 1 has the potential to create a public/private partnership to improve roadways and drainage issues for the entire area

Congestion in the NW portion of District 1 is an issue with which all of us that live here contend on a daily basis.  I have been looking for a way to create another North/South connector road between 9-Mile Road and Mobile Hwy West of  I-10 ever since I have been on the BCC--because due to the growth of this area this is desperately needed.  We looked at a number of roads and routes--yet none of these (Jamesville Lane, 8-Mile Creek) were feasible due to high costs and/or various other factors (wetlands, bridge over 11-Mile creek, no land owned, etc.)  With most of the previously investigated potential routes, the costs for building such a road would have fallen squarely, 100%, on the taxpayers.

Recently, I have been in talks with county staff and a private development company regarding this issue.

Pathstone, a large, mixed use development planned just East of Beulah on 9-Mile Road, has expressed interest in partnering with the county to develop a road through their property connecting to Klondike road--which would help this area by also providing another North-South connector road between 9-Mile road and Mobile Highway, west of I-10.  The benefits to the county and the taxpayers is the fact that under this scenario--the costs are split between the private sector and the county for a portion of this new roadway.  For the developer, this new roadway through provides more access to both their residential and commercial tenants. For residents that have complained to me over and over about the problems on Wilde Lake and Klondike--this sort of a partnership will allow for improvements to these roadways all the way to Pine Forest Road/Exit 7 on the I-10.

Currently, many residents who are opposing a zoning change on Klondike Road south of Wilde Lake have cited deficient roadway infrastructure and insufficient drainage as a major issue that they want

Large N.W. Dist. 1 Mixed-Use Development Allows for Potential Public-Private Cooperation

There will be a massive new development in the Northwest portion of District 1 over the next several years.  This mixed use development (according to the conceptual drawings I have seen) will have something for everyone: Restaurants, Shops, Retail,  Medical office, Townhomes, Condos, and Single family residences and amenities for residents of the development.  From the drawings I have seen--it appears as though this will be a pedestrian/bike friendly, walkable development that will mesh well with the currently-under-construction sidewalk and bikepath along the southern portion of 9-Mile Road.

The location for "Pathstone" (this development)  is along the southern portion of 9-Mile Road, East of 11-Mile Creek and running down along Exit 5 of I-10 and down and over to Klondike Road (as depicted above)

There are discussions of accessibility for this parcel from the south via Klondike Road, and the north via a traffic-light at 9-Mile road and the entrance of this development.  There are talks underway between myself, the county staff, and these developers to formalize the route of the road that would go through this property and help the area (and this development) by essentially adding another north-south connector between 9-Mile road and Mobile Highway.  This is looking like a very strong possibility and a win-win for the community and for the developer.

The appealing aspects of this development are numerous:  Finally--more than just Tom Thumb gas station food and delivery pizza as food options for Beulah Residents.  Additionally, I'm told numerous nationally-recognized full-service restaurants have expressed interest in locating in this area. Development of this area and the concomitant drainage and infrastructure improvements will allow for better traffic movement through this already congested area.

Between this development, the Dawson Group mixed-use development planned adjacent to the west, and the residences at Nature Creek going in just north of this development on the north side of 9-mile road--the area around Navy Federal Credit Union is quickly becoming a private-sector funded amenity for the community.  Add to this a walking/biking trail all the way around OLF 8, a recreation park at OLF 8, and several commercial parcels along 9-mile road on the southern part of the OLF 8 parcel--if the board approves these amenities as a part of the plan for OLF 8--and we are quickly coming to a point where we will go from no retail options (except Tom Thumb or Dollar General) and no restaurant options--to a cornucopia of excellent dining/retail/and entertainment options.