Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey recently signed paperwork finalizing the state’s purchase of the Foley Beach Express toll bridge.
Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) purchased the bridge for $57 million in April. It will pay the city of Orange Beach an additional $3 million for local road improvements.
ALDOT will implement a temporary traffic management plan to move two-way traffic through the toll plaza and will remove the toll booths and re-stripe the roadway for free-flowing traffic in mid June.
Once the booths are removed, all routes to Alabama’s beaches will be toll-free.
“Our coast continues to experience record growth and success, and I am proud we are making needed infrastructure improvements in the area that will help alleviate traffic congestion for Alabamians and those visiting our beaches,” Ivey said. “I am proud of the significant progress we are making on infrastructure projects.”
Baldwin County and the city of Foley asked ALDOT to assume maintenance responsibilities for their portion of the Beach Express route from Interstate 10 to Orange Beach via the Baldwin Beach Express toll bridge.
Under the agreement, Baldwin County, Foley and Orange Beach, withdrew from their agreements related to the bridge. Gulf Shores granted ALDOT right of way to access a bridge its building over the Intracoastal Waterway.