Residents and officials look over proposals for a traffic safety plan being developed for the city of Foley. The plan includes proposals for improvements along highways and major roadways in the city.

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Foley city officials are collaborating with consultants to devise a comprehensive safety plan aimed at enhancing traffic safety along key thoroughfares within South Baldwin County. This initiative, known as the Foley Safety Action Plan, seeks to address safety concerns and improve traffic flow throughout the area.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich highlighted the city's partnership with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), emphasizing their joint efforts to address safety issues along primary highways, namely U.S. Route 98 and Alabama State Route 59.

“What this program does is it identifies safety shortcomings in our city and it gives us a goal of what to work on over the next 20 years,” Hellmich said.

A recent public meeting convened by Foley and its consulting team provided an opportunity for community members to weigh in on preliminary recommendations for the safety plan. Mayor Hellmich stressed the importance of public engagement, describing the meeting as a platform for residents to voice opinions on proposed improvements and offer feedback on initial study findings.

The Foley Safety Action Plan aligns with a Federal Highway Administration program and aims to address various traffic challenges, including the substantial volume of vehicles traveling to and from Gulf Coast beaches. Mayor Hellmich acknowledged the complexity of managing traffic influxes.

“You can't just say get all the cars off the road. That won’t work,” Hellmich said. “We can't stop the 28 million cars that come through our city that go to Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. That's just out of our control.”

According to data presented, Foley witnessed 5,218 traffic accidents between 2018 and 2022, resulting in 136 fatalities or serious injuries.

In the draft proposal, several recommendations are outlined for enhancing safety and accessibility along key roadways in Foley. Among these suggestions are the replacement of center left-turn lanes on McKenzie Street (Alabama 59) with medians and the addition of left-turn lanes where necessary, particularly the expanse between Underwood Road and Pride Drive. Additionally, the proposal includes plans for improving pedestrian accessibility along McKenzie Street and other areas within the city.

On U.S. Route 98, the proposal advocates for safety enhancements and pedestrian upgrades at several intersections, including those at Hickory, Cedar, Oak, Pine, Alston, and Chicago streets. Furthermore, the plan proposes conducting a speed study and implementing traffic calming measures along Hickory Street between Baldwin County 12 and U.S. 98, which may involve installing warning signs with flashers, rumble strips, lane narrowing and the introduction of bicycle lanes.

On Juniper Street, an access management plan would guide future development under the proposal, with specific improvements planned for the intersection with Pride Drive, potentially including flashing yellow signals and switch-operated pedestrian crossings.

Other streets slated for enhancements encompass Cedar Street, the Foley Beach Express, Alston Street, Oak Street, Roosevelt Avenue, Poplar Street, 9th Avenue, James Road and various routes across the city.

Hellmich emphasized the significance of the safety plan, noting its dual role in identifying areas in need of improvement and potentially securing funding for these projects. Hellmich said grant providers often require communities to have comprehensive safety plans in place before considering funding requests.