City of Gulf Shores 36th Annual Arbor Day Celebration set for February 25

The City of Gulf Shores celebrates 36 years of being named a Tree City with its 36th Annual Arbor Day Celebration, presented by the Gulf Shores Beautification Board. This event will take place on Saturday, February 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Erie H. Meyer Civic Center.

Residents of each household that reside within the Gulf Shores corporate limits may select four different trees from six different varieties:

• Shumard Oak
• Hazel Alder
• Ashe Magnolia
• Red Maple
• Eastern Mayhaw
• American Snowbell

To receive the trees, residents must show proof of residency. The trees are potted in one-gallon containers and are ready for planting. A brochure giving specifics on each tree is available to residents. The Gulf Shores Landscape Division will be onsite to answer questions about the trees.

As an additional incentive, 12 lucky attendees will receive a complimentary specialty fruit tree.

Click here to learn more.

Site Work to begin at the New Gulf Shores High School Campus

On January 9, Gulf Shores City Council members voted unanimously to approve a construction contract with Cunningham-Delaney to complete early site work for the new Gulf Shores High School campus.

Site work is set to begin the first week of February and includes drainage work, utility work, and road and parking lot development.

The new high school will be located at the intersection of Foley Beach Express and Coastal Gateway Boulevard and is proposed to be completed and open for the 2025/2026 school year.

For more information on this project, contact Public Works at 251-968-1156.

2023-2024 Hurricane Re-Entry/Beach Parking Passes Now Available

In November, all Gulf Shores residents and property owners were mailed two current 2023-2024 Hurricane Re-Entry/Beach Parking Passes to the billing address on record with Baldwin EMC.

In the event of an emergency where areas of Gulf Shores are evacuated, these passes serve to identify those who should be allowed into a restricted area(s) at the appropriate time.

These passes also serve as a parking pass to allow residents/property owners access to the RESIDENT ONLY parking area located at East Gulf Place and free parking at all City of Gulf Shores paid public parking areas.

All vehicles parked in the RESIDENT ONLY parking area must have a current pass PERMANENTLY affixed to the inside of the windshield on the driver's side of the vehicle.

Vehicles parked in the Resident Only Parking area without a current pass directly affixed to the windshield, or those with an expired pass, will be subject to ticketing and/or towed. This includes vehicles with passes lying on the dashboard.

If you did not receive your passes in the mail, you may pick them up year-round at City Hall and the Gulf Shores City Store. Proof of residency or property ownership and a Driver's License for identification will be required in the form of a deed, lease, or utility bill that bears the street address of the property for which the decal is being purchased.

The first two passes are provided at no cost to residents/property owners. Up to three additional passes may be purchased for $5 each at the following locations:

City Hall

1905 West 1st Street, Gulf Shores, AL

Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gulf Shores City Store

1821 AL-59, Gulf Shores, AL

(Corner of Hwy. 59 and Clubhouse Drive)

Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, please call 251-968-2425 or visit www.gulfshoresal.gov/hurricanedecal.

Update on the Waterways East Boulevard Expansion & Improvement Project

Construction on the Waterway East Boulevard Expansion & Improvement project is officially underway. 

The project will provide a new route from Highway 59 to Cotton Creek Drive along the Intracoastal Waterway, providing easy access to the future commercial terminal at the Gulf Shores International Airport and the new Waterways Bridge currently being constructed by ALDOT. 



Additional improvements included but are not limited to the following:

• Intersection improvements to Hwy 59 & East 29th Avenue
• Roadway, drainage, and pedestrian improvements to East 29th Avenue
• Roundabout at East 29th Avenue and East 2nd Street
• Roadway, drainage, and pedestrian improvements to East 2nd Street
• Roadway, drainage, and pedestrian improvements to Waterway East Boulevard
• Extend Waterway East Boulevard from the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center to Cotton Creek Drive, allowing access to the new ALDOT Waterways bridge 

The project is funded through monies awarded via the RESTORE Grant, the Alabama Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (ACDNR), and a funding agreement with Coastal Resort Properties.

Construction is estimated to be complete by the end of 2024. Additional project updates will be given as progress continues. 

For more information about the Waterway East Boulevard Expansion & Improvement Project, contact the Engineering Department at 251-968-1166.

City of Gulf Shores Announces 44th Annual Mardi Gras Parade

The City of Gulf Shores is excited to announce the return of the traditional Mardi Gras Parade, which will take place on Fat Tuesday, February 21, at 10 a.m.

The parade will begin at the intersection of Highway 59 and East Beach Boulevard (Highway 182) and will travel along East Beach Boulevard to the Gulf State Park Pier Road. A parade route map can be found online here.

The City of Gulf Shores would like to make all residents and visitors aware of the following traffic flow modifications related to the Mardi Gras Parade:

6 a.m.

West Gulf Place beach access and parking lot will be closed. Parking will only be available for parade participants and float setup.

8 a.m.

West Beach Boulevard (Highway 182 west) will be closed between Highway 59 and West 3rd Street for the staging of the parade.

9:45 a.m.

Access to West Beach Boulevard and East Beach Boulevard (Highway 182) via Highway 59 will be closed. 

Access to East Beach Boulevard via East 1st, East 2nd, and East 4th Street will be closed.

Traffic headed westbound on East Beach Boulevard near the Gulf State Park Pier will be diverted to State Park Road (Highway 135) for access to Highway 59.

11:30 a.m.

All normal traffic conditions should resume.

If you would like to participate in the 44th Annual Mardi Gras Parade, please visit www.gulfshoresAL.gov/MardiGras to fill out an application. All applications are due by Monday, February 13, at 5 p.m.

If severe weather moves in and the parade is canceled, there will be no make-up date. For more information, contact our Special Events team at 251-968-1171 or visit www.gulfshoresal.gov/MardiGras. 

New Traffic Signal & Crosswalk to be Installed at the Intersection of West 2nd Street & Fort Morgan Road (Highway 180)

Construction to add a new mast-arm traffic signal and pedestrian crosswalk at West 2nd Street and Fort Morgan Road (Highway 180) intersection is scheduled to begin mid-February. 

This signal will provide better traffic circulation for the surrounding neighborhoods and supports the access management plan for Highway 180. The project will also include crosswalks to allow for pedestrian-protected movement across Highway 180 and the extension of the eastbound right-turn lane on Highway 180 to West 2nd Street to accommodate U-turns and reduce traffic congestion.

After making multiple access management improvements in the area, the City of Gulf Shores was able to meet ALDOT's warrant of need to install a new traffic signal on the state-managed Highway 180 and begin the permitting process. Permits were approved in late 2022, and the project was awarded to McElhenney Construction at the January 23 City Council Meeting. 

Work to install a temporary signal will begin in mid-February and is estimated to be operational by early spring. The permanent mast-arm signal is anticipated to be complete by this summer. 

For more information about this project, please contact the Engineering Department at 251-968-1166.

Gulf shores Recreation Department Hosts 9th Annual Community FitFair

The City of Gulf Shores Recreation Department is set to host the 9th Annual Community FitFair on Friday, February 10, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bodenhamer Recreation Center.

The free event will feature an open house with local fitness and wellness professional, health screenings, refreshments, entry to recreation and fitness facilities, multiple door prizes, and a special drawing for a FREE RecPass for a whole year -- a $650 value!

For more information about the Community FitFair, contact the Gulf Shores Recreation Department at 251-968-1420.

City of Gulf Shores Collected 590.13 Tons of Recycling in 2022

Recycling reduces pollution, saves energy, and helps protect our beautiful coastal environment. Last year, the City of Gulf Shores Public Works Department collected 590.13 tons of recyclable material. 

That is equivalent to 12 football fields, 590 great white sharks, and around 5 miles of train tracks!

Items were collected in various ways, including items dropped off at the Drop-Off Recycling Center, beach trash collection, and residential curbside recycling pickup.

Participating in curbside recycling pickup is included at no additional cost to City of Gulf Shores residents. If you would like to participate in curbside recycling, please get in touch with Republic Services to request a recycling bin by calling (888) 425-7667.

Items that can be put in a curbside recycling bin include:

• Aluminum Cans
• Cardboard
• Newspaper, Magazines, & Office Paper
• Paper Products
• Plastic Jugs (rinsed)
• Tin Cans (rinsed)

*No items containing food residue, oil, aerosol, wax, or Styrofoam are allowed in residential curbside cans.



To learn more about the City of Gulf Shores Recycling Services, click here.