FOLEY – Travel on West Peachtree Avenue is set to improve thanks to infrastructure upgrades approved by the Foley City Council.
The council has authorized major drainage repairs near the Foley Airport, where aging metal storm pipes have collapsed and caused damage to the roadway. According to Jeff Phillips, Foley construction projects manager, the city began work on the project last week with the installation of the first concrete units that will replace the failing metal culverts.
The project is expected to be completed this week.
Rather than opting for a temporary patch, city leaders chose a long-term solution—replacing approximately 570 feet of 54-inch metal piping with durable concrete pipe.
“By going to concrete, which is really what should be used there, this should be a permanent fix,” said Mayor Ralph Hellmich. “Some of the metal pipe lasted longer than expected, but this replacement will prevent our crews from having to return and make repeated repairs.”
The city has addressed similar pipe failures on West Peachtree Avenue in the past. Mayor Hellmich noted that this stretch of drainage is especially critical for the Live Oak area and that the repairs are deep and complex.
“Since I’ve been on the council, we’ve already done two repairs,” he said. “This section is buried very deep, and it’s essential to finish the work all the way to the airport property outfall.”
Hellmich emphasized the importance of replacing the entire system, rather than connecting new pipe to old sections that could eventually fail. He also noted that the downstream areas have been assessed and are currently in good condition.
Construction will continue in the coming weeks, with the city aiming for long-term improvements in both drainage and roadway stability for West Peachtree Avenue travelers.