When the State of Alabama bought the Beach Express from I-10 to Orange Beach not only did they remove the tolls, they also officially named the road AL Highway 161. For common use the signs state Baldwin Beach Express.

Residents and businesses located along the stretch in Foley wanted clarification of what their real address is going to be. Thankfully the Foley officials have provided the answer.



The Foley City Council has voted to retain “Foley Beach Express” as the official roadway name within city limits. While the highway was transferred to the Alabama Department of Transportation in 2025 and designated as Alabama 161, local addresses will not be required to change.

City Engineer Taylor Davis said the city worked closely with the county E-911 system to ensure the Beach Express name remains valid for addressing purposes. “We don’t want to have to restructure all those to say State Route 161,” Davis said. “We don’t want to lose the cultural and historical impact of what that road meant and what previous councils have put into that road and commitments that were made. This is a road that we have put a lot into. We’ve seen traffic quadruple over the last couple of decades. I think it’s a testament to the construction and the long-term durability of that road.”

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the decision also helps reduce costs for property owners along the corridor.

“It’s another way that Foley supports businesses,” Hellmich said. “Requiring addresses to be changed would have cost people up and down that road a lot of money for things like letterheads and signs. It’s a way of retaining continuity, and thankfully the state is letting us do that.”

Now that the Foley section is clarified, what do YOU want the EXPRESSWAY CALLED?