Cities & County Clear Path for State to Stop Tolls and Take Over Bridge

OBA Staff • May 11, 2024

Tolls Expected to End at Noon on May 23rd

Beach Express Toll Bridge

Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – The Foley Beach Express is on its way to becoming a state highway following action by the Foley City Council.


The council voted Monday, May 6, to transfer the city-owned section of the highway to the Alabama Department of Transportation.


The transfer will take place after work to repave and widen the roadway is completed. The repaving project is scheduled to be completed in 250 working days.


Foley City Administrator Mike Thompson said the road will receive a state highway designation when ALDOT takes over the route. He said, however, that the city can continue to use the name Foley Beach Express as a local designation.


“If you wanted to keep that name as a local name for that corridor, we can do so and that would allow us to keep the street signs that are out there that are in place today,” Thompson told council members. “Obviously ALDOT would be putting their black and white state highway signage up and down that corridor, just like what you see on Highway 59.”


Thompson said continuing to list the road as the Foley Beach Express would allow 911 dispatchers as well as residents and businesses to continue to use the same addresses. The Beach Express is expected to be designated Alabama 161 when the transfer is completed.


The Foley Beach Express between the intersection of Alabama 59 in north Foley and the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in Orange Beach was completed by the city in 2000. Baldwin County added an extension north from Foley to Interstate 10. That 13.2-mile section, known as the Baldwin Beach Express, was completed in 2014. The Baldwin County Commission voted in 2023 to transfer the county-maintained sections of the Beach Express to ALDOT.


Foley, Baldwin County and the owners of the bridge had a three-way agreement to maintain and operate the highway. With all sections of the route except the Foley Beach Express under state management, the City Council also voted Monday to end the agreement as part of the transfer process.


Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have also taken similar actions this week.


Governor Kay Ivey on Friday confirmed plans for officials from the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Baldwin County Bridge Company to meet on the morning of Thursday, May 23, to sign the paperwork that transfers ownership of the Foley Beach Express toll bridge to ALDOT.


Subject to the closing process, the collection of tolls will end at noon making all routes to Alabama’s beaches toll-free (at noon on May 23rd).

Share this article w/ Friends...

Ribbon Cutting for Young's Hideaway Glamping - Photo by Marc Anderson
By R. Ken Cooper April 25, 2025
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach officials and community members gathered to celebrate the opening of a new glamping site named "Young's Hideaway" in honor of longtime residents Cecil and Jesse Young. The project adds a unique accommodation option to the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Marks Opening of New Boat Ramp in Bon Secour
By OBA Staff April 25, 2025
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – A new public boat ramp on County Road 6 in Bon Secour was officially opened today during a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship.
Surf Fishing Clinic for Kids
By R. Ken Cooper April 25, 2025
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Young anglers will have the chance to cast their lines and learn from local experts at the Gulf State Park Kids Surf Fishing Clinic this summer.
Pensacola Man Arrested After Break-In in Foley
By OBA Staff April 24, 2025
Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – At around 2:45 a.m., Foley police responded to a burglary call on State Highway 59. Officers found a man inside the business and apprehended him. The suspect, 52-year-old Patrick Odell Levens from Pensacola, Florida, had used a power tool to cut a hole in the back wall to get inside.
Perdido Beach Resort Backs Orange Beach Schools with Major Gift
By OBA Staff April 24, 2025
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach City Schools and the Mako Academics, Arts, and Athletics Club have announced a major new sponsor. Perdido Beach Resort pledged to be a Diamond Level Sponsor for the 2025-2026 school year.
Cyclists Gear Up for 2025 Good Life Ride at Gulf State Park
By R. Ken Cooper April 24, 2025
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The popular Good Life Ride cycling event is set to return to Gulf State Park on May 10, 2025. The annual event, which attracts cycling enthusiasts from across the Southeast, will feature multiple route options designed to showcase the natural beauty of Alabama's coastal region.
Major Drainage Overhaul Taking Place on West Peachtree Avenue
By Guy Busby April 24, 2025
Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – Travel on West Peachtree Avenue will soon be smoother after the Foley City Council approved road repairs. The council voted to fix the road near Foley Airport last week. Jeff Phillips, the city construction projects manager, explained that collapsed metal storm drainage pipes buried alongside the road had damaged the street.
Orange Beach Schools Names Laatsch as Assistant Athletic Director
By OBA Staff April 23, 2025
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach City Schools has appointed Chris Laatsch as their new Assistant Athletic Director. The announcement came Wednesday as school officials welcomed the veteran coach to his expanded role within the athletics program.
Mystery Urn Washes Ashore in Gulf Shores
By OBA Staff April 23, 2025
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – An unusual discovery was made on the beaches of Gulf Shores last week. A funeral urn containing human ashes washed ashore after apparently being released into the Gulf of Mexico.
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Hosts Summer Zoo Camp for Kids
By OBA Staff April 23, 2025
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is inviting kids to experience a summer of adventure through its 2025 Zoo Camp program. The camp will give young animal lovers a hands-on opportunity to learn about wildlife and conservation.
Show More