Gulf Shores Mayor Craft endorses three bridge plan

By Melanie LeCroy / melanie@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 8/13/21

GULF SHORES - On Monday night Gulf Shores’ Mayor Robert Craft told Gulf Shores City Council meeting attendees that he believed the island needs three bridges.

It was the first time he spoke …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Gulf Shores Mayor Craft endorses three bridge plan

Posted

GULF SHORES - On Monday night Gulf Shores’ Mayor Robert Craft told Gulf Shores City Council meeting attendees that he believed the island needs three bridges.

It was the first time he spoke publicly about the project since expressing his disappointment regarding the delay in late July.

“We are supportive of the ALDOT bridge but we are not against the bridge at The Wharf. I honestly believe with the way the future is going we are going to need all three of them. I believe the state could build their bridge and the bridge company could build their new lane and we would still need more,” Craft said.

The need for more roads leading off the island has grown in recent years as both the resident population and tourism has increased in the island towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

The planning of those bridges has become contentious in recent months as Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon pushed for expansion of the Beach Express toll bridge despite a decade-long plan by the Alabama Department of Transportation to build a toll-free bridge connecting the Baldwin Beach Express to Canal Road East in Gulf Shores.

In Monday’s meeting, Craft said he wanted those involved to understand that the issue was not which city should construct a bridge but rather how to safely evacuate everyone from the island in an emergency and reduce traffic.

“We are working closely with the governor’s office and ALDOT making sure they understand exactly what the city of Gulf Shores is concerned about. We are not against what Orange Beach is doing and I understand why Tony is doing it. I wouldn’t do it the same way, but he is trying to protect the revenue stream the city of Orange Beach has and we are not worried about that,” Craft said, referring to the $1.5 million in toll revenue Orange Beach received this year.

“We have no revenue stream. When we talk about we, we are not talking about we being Gulf Shores. We are talking about we being this island. Everybody on this island has got to get out of here in a storm situation. Everybody goes back and forth to Foley on a regular basis or at least up to Publix and areas in the north part of Gulf Shores on a regular basis. We are overwhelmed with traffic. We need all three bridges. I don’t think it has to be us or them. I think we can focus on getting them all,” Craft said. 

Kennon has been in negotiations with the previous and current owners of the Baldwin County Bridge Company (BCBC) to help the state move traffic off Highway 59 and onto the Foley Beach Expressway.

Those negotiations resulted in the BCBC agreeing to expand from five to 11 toll booths with electronic toll capability, permanent Freedom Pass lanes and add another span to the bridge resulting in two northbound and two southbound lanes. The expansion of the toll bridge booths would happen within 18 months and a new span would be added within three years. The financial burden of the expansion would be shouldered by the BCBC. 

The Waterway Bridge route runs along the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach line that ends in Orange Beach with a large roundabout intersection. Kennon said Orange Beach will be charged with policing the new intersections, dealing with traffic and accidents.

Plans for the toll-free route were put on hold this month after Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Director John Cooper agreed to a three-month negotiating period with the Baldwin County Bridge Company (BCBC), and the Alabama Department of Transportation suspended the process to take bids on the new Waterway Bridge that were to open July 30.

The topic of the bridges came up during the open discussion period of the Gulf Shores City Council meeting Monday night. Gulf Shores resident of over 40 years, Tony Diliberto, praised Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft for his statement July 30 in response to the delay of bidding for the Alabama Department of Transportation bridge project.

“As you all know I went through this for a long time. I’ve got seven years with this garbage with the bridge and I supported it from day one. We need this bridge,” Diliberto said.

Diliberto’s home was one of several taken by the state for the proposed road from Foley Beach Express leading to the new bridge.

“We need another access. I ask the city council, all of you get real vocal. It’s time to get downright nasty and dirty and tell the state of Alabama who we are. We want our fair share. We pump them millions every year and we want our share and we want our bridge,” Diliberto said.