Baldwin County Commission to transfer portions of Foley, Baldwin Beach Express to ALDOT
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — The Baldwin County Commission has finalized the transfer of multiple portions of roadways owned by the county to the Alabama Department of Transportation.
Portions of the Baldwin Beach Express, Foley Beach Express, Roscoe Road and County Road 4 will be owned and maintained by ALDOT. According to a news release, this will make the roads “part of a cohesive roadway network to Alabama’s Gulf Coast beaches.”
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“The Beach Express routes serve as a major corridor to connect the traveling public to Alabama’s Gulf Coast Beaches. These previously county-maintained routes connected I-10 to the north to other State Routes to the south,” Baldwin County Engineer Frank Lundy said. “The transfer of these routes to ALDOT allows for a more cohesive roadway network, maintained by one agency, to better facilitate the needs of the traveling public.”
Officials with ALDOT said this is something that has been discussed for more than a decade.
“As a local priority, the County probably would still like to see a connection from I-65, but that’s not part of this transfer,” read a statement. “As additional background, transfers of segments of roadways or bridges are not unusual – two years ago ALDOT accepted a major county bridge over Smith Lake and connecting roadway in Winston County. The bridge is long and goes over the deepest bridged water anywhere in Alabama. It was constructed in 1967 and exceeded the County’s long-term ability to maintain. Conversely, it’s not unusual for local governments to take over former two-lane state roadways after the completion of a four-lane bypass.”
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