State to buy beach express toll bridge in Baldwin County, making it free to cross

An important route to Alabama’s beaches is about to become free to use.

Gov. Kay Ivey has announced that the state will purchase the Foley Beach Express Bridge in Baldwin County, which travelers use to get from Foley to Orange Beach.

With the purchase, the bridge will become toll-free. Currently, it costs $5 up to $9 or more to use it.

“Alabama’s Gulf 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,” Gov. Kay Ivey said.

The sale is expected to close in May, with the collection of tolls to cease at noon on the date of the closing. A date for the closing will be announced as soon as it is scheduled.

That is not the only change coming.

The Alabama Dept. of Transportation will operate the Beach Express Bridge with traffic flowing in both directions. Once construction is finished on the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge in 2026, the Beach Express Bridge will be converted to carry northbound traffic and the new ALDOT bridge will carry southbound traffic, creating “one-way pairs,” parallel paired bridges to move traffic more efficiently to and from Alabama’s beaches.

The entire route from Interstate 10 will become a state highway to be named State Route 161.

Under the terms, ALDOT will pay $57 million to Baldwin County Bridge Company for the bridge and $3 million to the City of Orange Beach for local road improvements. In addition, ALDOT will commit to pursue widening Canal Road to five lanes between the new parallel bridges and an intersection improvement at the State Route 161/180 intersection in Orange Beach.

INFORMATION FOR CURRENT TOLL BRIDGE USERS:

To facilitate the end of tolling, Baldwin County Bridge Company will not open new accounts or modify existing accounts starting April 30. Current account holders will be able add funds to their existing accounts until a few days prior to closing.

Refunds of any remaining account balances will begin in June, and, where possible, will be made to the credit card on file. Customers who pay by means other than credit card will receive refund instructions via email from Huntington Bank’s ChoicePay on or around June 24.

Balances on Unlimited Pass accounts will be refunded based on the number of days remaining on the account. Customers can expect to receive their refund by June 30.

— Information from the Office of Governor Kay Ivey