April 2, 2026

Large Development Coming to State Highway 181 and CR 64

By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

April 1. 2026

DAPHNE, Ala. If you live in Daphne or regularly travel the State Highway 181 and County Road corridor, you know how thick travel is and how many accidents occur in that stretch of road almost daily.

Well, now, that area is about to triple its congestion, traffic and the area population.

A project that has been in the works for a while may soon receive final approval from the Daphne City Council on April 6, 2026.

A huge project known as Italian Village, is planned near Highway 181 and County Road 64 and would include a Neighborhood Walmart and luxury apartments and could begin construction by this summer.

Daphne Mayor Robin LeJeune says this specific area has been missing a full grocery store, which is something the development is expected to provide on a 35 acre parcel of land that will also include stylish apartments in an Italian-inspired design, which developers say reflects the city’s history.

“It’s going to be heavily landscaped. We have an archway entrance feature leading up into the project off 181. It’s going to be a very neat project,” Vice President of Development for Trotman Company, Charlie Trotman Jr., said.

“It’s going to bring anywhere from 300 to 350 new jobs, not counting construction jobs. It’s bringing tax, sales tax to the city,” said Trotman.

While all of this sounds like it could be a good fit in that area, others who commute through that area already say that the traffic is a nightmare and traffic collisions happen at that intersection more often than one might think.

But the developers say traffic improvements are part of the plan.

“We’re going to add a traffic signal on Highway 64,” Trotman said. “Add an accel and decel lanes on 181 and 64; we’re improving the roundabout at County Road 13 and 64.”

“So we’re doing a lot of things to improve the traffic. I know that’s a big component here to this project,” he continued.

Mayor LeJeune said those improvements were required as part of the process.

LeJeune believes the project will get a green light, add jobs to the area and be a property that will fit into the area.

If approved, construction on the Neighborhood Walmart could begin as early as this summer.