Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Foley Beach Express One of Southern Alabama's newest roadways, the Foley Beach Express is a four lane highway that bypasses Foley to the east en route to Orange Beach toward the Gulf of Mexico shoreline. The expressway type roadway has no interchanges and only limited intersections presently north of the toll bridge over Perdido Bay. Cash tolls are $3 per passenger vehicle, though discounts are available through Beach Express cards. The purpose of the highway was to alleviate growing Alabama 59 traffic concerns and to offer an alternate route during Hurricane evacuation situations. However recent development has been approved close to and even along the four-lane highway. The original 18-mile route opened to traffic during the year 2000. Planning is underway to extend the Foley Beach Expressway northward from its current end at Alabama 59 to a meeting with Interstate 10 near Loxley, via a new interchange at Baldwin County 68. $26 million in funding was secured for the extension as part of the $286.4 billion highway package approved by Congress on July 29, 2005. The Foley Beach Express will follow Baldwin County 83 north from near Summerdale to Interstate 10 near milepost 50.1 Additional discussion is underway involving a southern extension of the Foley Beach Express to Alabama 182 (Perdido Beach Boulevard) and twinning of the Intracoastal Waterway bridge. However for this to occur, land through Gulf State Park must be acquired, which may hinder the southward growth of the highway. Foley Beach Express North Looking northward at the Foley Bridge Express Intracoastal Waterway toll bridge from Alabama 182 (Canal Road) in Orange Beach (pop. 3,784). Vehicles carrying hazardous materials are prohibited from crossing the two-lane span. Photo taken 05/16/04. Beyond the Foley Beach Express toll bridge, the four-lane divided highway leaves Orange Beach for Foley. Presently much of the land along the expressway is undeveloped and agricultural. However as the road heads northward, scattered development is already underway, even directly along the highway. Photo taken 08/01/06. Approaching the at-grade intersection with Roscoe Road, a local north-south road between the outskirts of Gulf Shores and Foley. Photo taken 08/01/06. Several crossovers join the north and southbound sides of the Foley Beach Express where the highway includes a large grassy median. These u-turn ramps provide local access the southbound carriageway.The next such crossover (not pictured here), allows northbound drivers access to Baldwin County 8 west. Photo taken 08/01/06. Nearing junction Baldwin County 12 on the Foley Beach express northbound in sprawling reaches of east Foley. Presently Baldwin County 12 travels through a hodgepodge of agricultural land and new sprawl. Photo taken 08/01/06. An Interstate 10 trailblazer joins the Baldwin County 12 shield at the signalized intersection with the east-west county road. Baldwin County 12 travels west to Baldwin County 26 southwest of Magnolia Springs and east to an end at the 2006-constructed Preserve at Wolf Bay subdivision along Wolf Creek. Photo taken 08/01/06. Continuing northward on the Foley Beach Express along the eastern outskirts of the Foley city limits. Lands to the west of the four-lane highway are already succumbing to suburban sprawl as the building boon in Baldwin County continues in earnest. Photo taken 08/01/06. Next in line for northbound drivers is the signalized intersection with Baldwin County 20. Baldwin County 20 travels on a parallel alignment one mile north of Baldwin County 12. Photo taken 08/01/06. Baldwin County 20 (Miflin Road) joins Foley with the rural community of Miflin to the east before ending at Baldwin County 95 north of Josephine. Miflin Road carries the county highway west to Alabama 59 near the Tanger Outlet Center. Photo taken 08/01/06. Foley Beach Express South Presently the Foley Beach Express begins at a signalized intersection with Alabama 59 in northern Foley. Initially traveling east, the four-lane divided highway first intersects Baldwin County 73. Photo taken 08/24/03. Just beyond Baldwin County 73 is a guide and mileage sign assembly for Foley, Orange Beach, and the Intracoastal Waterway bridge. An at-grade intersection lies ahead with Juniper Street. Photo taken 08/02/06. Foley Beach Express south (east) at Juniper Street. Juniper Street heads north to Baldwin County 28 and south to Baldwin County 14 (Peachtree Avenue). Photo taken 08/02/06. A third at-grade intersection lies along the Foley Beach Expressway eastbound section in north Foley. Baldwin County 28 includes an east-west and north-south branch. The north-south branch meets the expressway north of the Cambridge Park subdivision and junction Baldwin County 24. Photo taken 08/02/06. Baldwin County 28 continues north one half mile before turning onto its east-west alignment. The county road continues west onto Marlow Road at junction Alabama 59, and beyond to Baldwin County 9 at Marlow itself. Construction will continue the Foley Beach Express northward along Baldwin County 28 from here. Photo taken 08/02/06. Foley Beach Express southbound at U.S. 98. Note that the advance signage and directional shields for U.S. 98 are combined into one assembly. U.S. 98 is two lanes between Alabama 59 and the Florida State line, passing through small towns such as Elberta and Lillian before crossing Perdido Bay into the Sunshine State. Photo taken 06/05/02. Baldwin County 8 saw extension eastward to the Foley Beach Express upon completion of the roadway. The highway travels westward to Alabama 59 and a dead end at the Bon Secour River north of Oak. Construction present at the time of this photo involved paving over the dirt road of Baldwin 8. Photo taken 08/01/06. Continuing beyond Baldwin County 8, the Foley Beach Express turns east to Roscoe Road and south to junction Baldwin County 4 (Brown Lane) and the Intracoastal Waterway toll bridge. Photo taken 08/01/06. The final intersection of the southbound Foley Beach Express joins the highway with Baldwin County 4 (Brown Lane) west. An Alabama 180 guide sign is posted before the Express reaches that intersection. Baldwin County 4 stems west to the Craft Farms community of north Gulf Shores and junction Alabama 59 (Gulf Shores Parkway). Otherwise the Foley Beach Express continues toward the Intracoastal Waterway toll bridge. Photo taken 08/24/03. A small toll plaza is situated at the north end of the two lane toll bridge over Perdido Bay. Transponders are available for prepaid toll accounts (Beach Express Cards) for motorists who frequent the Foley Beach Express. Photo taken 08/24/03. Near the city of Orange Beach, the Foley Beach Express presently draws to a close at Alabama 180 (Canal Road), although there are plans to extend the road southward to Alabama 182. 2.75 miles eastward is the northern terminus of Alabama 161 (Orange Beach Boulevard). This 1.7 mile roadway connects Alabama 180 with Alabama 182 (Perdido Beach Boulevard) along the coast. To the west Alabama 180 intersects Alabama 59 at Gulf Shores. Photo taken 08/24/03. Sources: "U.S. House, Senate approve Baldwin highway funding." The Mobile Register, July 30, 2005. Page Updated February 16, 2008.